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{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2018}}
{{Infobox historic site
| name = Thiruvanchikulam Temple തിരുവഞ്ചിക്കുളം ക്ഷേത്രം
| native_language = [[Malayalam]]
| image = Thiruvanchikulam3.jpg
| image_size = 250px
| caption =
| designation1 =
| designation1_date =
| designation1_number =
| designation1_criteria =
| designation1_type = Cultural
| designation1_free1name = State Party
| designation1_free1value = India
| designation1_free2name = Region
| designation1_free2value =
| location = [[Thrissur district|Thrissur]], Kerala, India
| elevation = 27.98
| built = 9th century CE
| architect =
| architecture =
| coordinates = {{coord|10.2103|76.2066|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| locmapin = Kerala#India
| map_caption = Thiruvanchikulam Temple (Kerala)
| visitation_num =
| visitation_year =
}}

'''Thiruvanchikulam''' '''Siva''' '''Temple''' (medieval '''Thiruvanchaikkalam Temple'''<ref>Narayanan, M. G. S. ''Perumāḷs of Kerala: Brahmin Oligarchy and Ritual Monarchy: Political and Social Conditions of Kerala Under the Cēra Perumāḷs of Makōtai (c. AD 800 – AD 1124).'' Thrissur (Kerala): CosmoBooks, 2013. 49.</ref>''')''' is a [[Hindu]] temple situated in [[Kodungallur]] in [[Thrissur district]] of [[Kerala state]], India.
Constructed in the [[Kerala architecture|Kerala style of architecture]], the temple is believed to have been built during the [[Chera]] period. Shiva is worshipped as Mahadeva and his consort [[Parvathi]] as Umadevi. There are 33 sub-deities in this temple, the highest number so in [[Kerala]].

The presiding deity is revered in the 7th-century-CE Tamil Saiva canonical work, the ''[[Tevaram]]'', written by Tamil saint poets known as the [[Nayanmars]] and classified as ''[[Paadal Petra Sthalam]]'', one of the 276 temples that find mention in the canon.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Rajarajan|first=R.K.K.|title=Vañcaikkaḷam Past and Present Rāmāyaṇa Panels in Kēraḷa-Mahādeva Temple.pdf|journal=Acta Orientalia |year=1970 |volume=76 |page=31 |doi=10.5617/ao.4454 |url=https://www.academia.edu/31468524|language=en|doi-access=free}}</ref> It is the only temple in Kerala in the list. As per Periyapuranam, Sundara Murthi Nayanar, one of the four great saints in Tamil Shivism ascended to heaven from this place. Cheraman Perumal, the traditional legedary king of Kerala, is believed to went to ‘Kailasa’ with his companion Saiva saint, Sundaramoorthi Nayanar from this temple premises.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Thiruvanchikulam Mahadeva Temple |url=https://thiruvanchikulammahadevatemple.org/Mahadevacms |access-date=2024-03-11 |website=Mahadeva |language=en}}</ref>

The temple is open from 4 am – 12 pm and 4–8:30 pm on all days except during festival days when it is open the full day. Four daily rituals and three yearly festivals are held at the temple, of which the eight-day [[Mahashivaratri]] festival in the Malayalam month of [[Kumbham]] (February–March) is the most prominent. The temple is maintained and administered by the Thiruvanchikulam Devaswom under the Cochin Devaswom Board.

==History==
[[File:Thiruvanchikkulam-Sivatemple.jpg|250px|thumb|left|Image of the temple]]
This is the only Thevaram Paadal Petra Shiva sthalam in Kerala. Shiva is the family god of the [[Cochin Royal Family]] ([[Perumpadapu Swaroopam]]) after they came to power following the decline of Chera Empire). The temple has very good mural paintings and is a protected monument by the [[Archaeological Survey of India]]. The national anthem of erstwhile kingdom of [[Travancore]], [[Vanchi Bhumi]] refers to the deity of this temple, the official deity of imperial Chera Empire from whom the former claim lineage. The temple has the oldest reference in history in Thevaram Hymns sung by Sundara Murthi Nayanar (also known as [[Sundarar]] in Tamil), one of the four Saiva Acharyas. The images of Sundara Murthi Nayanar, and of [[Cheraman Perumal]] Nayanar can also be seen in the temple premises. It is one of the oldest Shiva temples in [[South India]], where Shiva is said to live along with his whole family. It was from here, Sundara Murthi Nayanar reached Kailash by sitting on a white elephant, sent by Lord Shiva on Adi Swathi day (July/August). He was followed on horse back by Seraman Perumal Nayanar. On his way to Kailash, Sundara Murthi Nayanar sang a Padhigam which was sent back to Thiruvanchikulam on his request. The temple is associated with [[Chidambaram]] temple in [[Tamil Nadu]].<ref>{{cite web
|url=https://www.india9.com/i9show/Thiruvanchikulam-Mahadeva-Temple-55656.htm
|title=Thiruvanchikulam Mahadeva Temple
|publisher=India9.com
|access-date=2012-06-16}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.mustseeindia.com/Kodungallur-Thiruvanchikulam-Mahadeva-Temple/attraction/13936
|title=Thiruvanchikulam Mahadeva Temple
|publisher=MustseeIndia
|access-date=2012-06-16}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url=http://holyindia.org/temple/thiruvanchikulam
|title=Thiruvanchikulam
|publisher=HolyIndia
|access-date=2012-06-16}}</ref>

The capital city of the [[Kulasekhara dynasty (Second Cheras)|Kulasekharas]], [[Mahodayapuram]], was built around the temple; it was protected by high fortifications on all sides and had extensive pathways and palaces. This temple was attacked and damaged during [[Tipu Sultan]]'s invasion of Kerala; the copper roofing, gold and jewels were looted. Tipu's [[Muslim]] soldiers fled the temple complex only after the arrival of the [[Travancore Army]] of Dalawa Keshavadas Pillai. The temple was rebuilt by [[Paliath Achan]] of the [[Paliath Achan|Paliam Swaroopam]].

==Architecture==
The temple is built in [[Kerala Architecture|Kerala style of architecture]] with entrance towers in all four sides. The sanctum occupies the centre portion of the temple, which is fortified. The sanctum is approached through a flagstaff, which is axial to the entrance tower and the sanctum. The flagstaff has images of Asthavidyesavara. The presiding deity is in the form of [[lingam]]. The image of [[Narasimha]] is sculpted on the [[vimana]]. The images of [[Sundarar]] and Ceramanperuman are maintained at Bhagavathi temple and brought to the temple during Svati festival during July – August. There are two temple tanks in the temple, located in the second precinct.<ref name=R/>

==Religious importance and festivals==
[[File:ThiruvanchikulamTemple.JPG|250px|thumb|Image of the entrance]]
It is believed that it the temple where [[Parasurama]], an avatar of [[Vishnu]], worshiped Shiva to expiate his sin killing his mother Renuka.
[[Sundarar]], a 7th-century Tamil ''Saivite'' poet, venerated Mahadeva in ten verses in ''[[Tevaram]]'', compiled as the ''[[Tirumurai|Seventh Tirumurai]]''. As the temple is revered in ''Tevaram'', it is classified as ''[[Paadal Petra Sthalam]]'', one of the 276 temples that find mention in the Saiva canon. The temple is believed to be the place where Sundarar and king Cheraman spent their last days and believed to have ascended to [[Kailasa]] in a white elephant.<ref name=R/>

The temple priests perform the ''[[Puja (Hinduism)|puja]]'' (rituals) during festivals and on a daily basis. The temple rituals are performed four times a day; ''Kalasanthi'' at 8:00 am, ''Uchikalam'' at 12:00 a.m. and ''Sayarakshai'' at 6:00 pm. There are weekly rituals like ''{{lang|te-Latn|somavaram}}'' (Monday) and ''{{lang|te-Latn|sukravaram}}'' (Friday), fortnightly rituals like ''[[pradosha]]m'', and monthly festivals like ''[[amavasya|amavasai]]'' (new moon day), ''kiruthigai'', ''[[pournami (festival)|pournami]]'' (full moon day) and ''sathurthi''. Brahmotsavam during the Malayalam month of ''Edavam'' (May – June) is the most important festivals of the temple.<ref name=dinamalar>{{cite news|title=Sri Mahadeva temple|url=http://temple.dinamalar.com/en/New_en.php?id=101|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160804124702/http://temple.dinamalar.com/en/New_en.php?id=101|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 August 2016|newspaper=[[Dinamalar]]|year=2014|access-date=24 November 2015}}</ref><ref name=R>{{cite book|title=An introduction to religion and Philosophy – Tévarám and Tivviyappirapantam|url=https://archive.org/details/dli.jZY9lup2kZl6TuXGlZQdjZY2lZpy.TVA_BOK_0006115|last=R.|first=Dr. Vijayalakshmy|
publisher=International Institute of Tamil Studies| location=Chennai|year=2001|edition=1st|pages=106–7}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Photogallery==
<gallery class="center">
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</gallery>

{{commons category|Thiruvanchikulam Temple}}

[[Category:History of Thrissur]]
[[Category:Padal Petra Stalam]]
[[Category:Archaeological sites in Kerala]]
[[Category:Hindu temples in Thrissur district]]
[[Category:108 Shiva Temples]]
[[Category:Hindu temples sacked in the Muslim period in the Indian subcontinent]]

Thiruvanchikulam Temple - Revision history

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