Realhimachal: put up new place

2026-01-24T03:38:01Z

put up new place

New page

{{Short description|Vishnu temple in Thrikodithanam}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox Hindu temple
| name = Thrikodithanam Mahavishnu Temple
| image = Thrickodithanam 7.JPG
| alt =
| caption =
| map_type = India Kerala
| map_caption = Location in [[Kerala]]
| coordinates = {{coord|9.438092|76.561998|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| country = [[India]]
| state = [[Kerala]]
| district = [[Kottayam district|Kottayam]]
| location = [[Kerala]], [[India]]
| elevation_m =
| deity = [[Vishnu|Mahavishnu]]
| Direction_posture =
| Pushakarani =
| Vimanam =
| Prathyaksham =
| festivals=
| architecture = [[Kerala architecture]]
| temple_quantity =
| monument_quantity=
| inscriptions =
| year_completed =
| creator =
| website = http://www.thrikodithanamtemple.com/
}}
'''Thrikodithanam Mahavishnu Temple''' is a [[Hindu temple]] dedicated to [[Vishnu]] and located in [[Thrikkodithanam]], [[Kottayam District]], [[Kerala]], [[South India]]. Constructed in the [[Architecture of Kerala|Kerala style of architecture]], the temple is glorified in the ''[[Divya Prabandha|Nalayira Divya Prabandham]]'', the early medieval [[Tamil literature|Tamil]] canon of the [[Alvars|Alvar]] saints from the 6th–9th centuries CE. It is one of the 108 ''[[Divyadesam|Divya Desam]]'' dedicated to [[Krishna]], an avatar of [[Vishnu]], who is worshipped as Mahavishnu. The nearest railway station to the temple is located in [[Changanassery]], while the nearest airport is [[Cochin International Airport]].

It is one of the five ancient shrines in the [[Kottayam]]-[[Alappuzha]]-[[Pathanamthitta]] area of Kerala, connected with the legend of [[Mahabharata]], where the five [[Pandavas]] are believed to have built one temple each; [[Thrichittatt Maha Vishnu Temple]] by [[Yudhishthira]], [[Puliyur Mahavishnu Temple]] by [[Bheema]], [[Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple]] by [[Arjuna]], [[Thiruvanvandoor Mahavishnu Temple]] by [[Nakula]] and Thrikodithanam Mahavishnu Temple by [[Sahadeva]]. The temple is open from 4:00 am to 11:00 am and 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm and is administered by [[Travancore Devaswom Board]] of the [[Government of Kerala]].

==Legend==
[[File:Thrickodithanam 1.JPG|thumb|left|200px|Painting on the walls of the outer ''gopuram'' of the temple. These particular paintings do not exist now (as of 2024).]]
It is one of the five ancient shrines around the [[Chengannur]] area of Kerala, connected with the legend of [[Mahabharata]]. Legend has it that the [[Pandava]] princes, after crowning [[Parikshit]] as king of [[Hastinapura]] left on a pilgrimage. On arriving on the banks of river [[Pamba River|Pamba]], each one is believed to have installed a tutelary image of Krishna; [[Thrichittatt Maha Vishnu Temple]] by [[Yudhishthira]], [[Puliyur Mahavishnu Temple]] by [[Bheema]], [[Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple]] by [[Arjuna]], [[Thiruvanvandoor Mahavishnu Temple]] by [[Nakula]] and Thrikodithanam Mahavishnu Temple by [[Sahadeva]].<ref name=culture>[[#Culture|Cultural Heritage of Kerala 2008]], pp. 44-45</ref><ref name=RoaA>[[#Rao|Rao 2012]], pp. 17-20</ref>

The Divya Kshetram was built by [[Sahadeva]] of [[Pandavas]]. King Rukmangatha of Surya Vamsa undertook Ekadasi Vratham and gifted all his punyas to Devas by which he reached Devaloka. There are also shrines for [[Krishna]] and [[Narasimha]]. Another legend is that temple servant being cursed by the deity to turn into a stone as he delayed the opening of the temple doors making the devotees to wait for darshana. The statue of the servant can be seen in front of the temple. A monthly Sravana Deepams (festival of light) is performed.<ref name=R/>

==Architecture==
[[File:Thirukodithanam MahaVishnu Temple.jpg|thumb|left|200px|The Temple Entrance]]
The presiding deity in the temple is Athpudha Narayanan, who is also named as "Amirutha Narayanan". The presiding deity is sported in standing posture facing the east direction. His consort is Karpagavalli.<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=456–7}}</ref> The temple is built in [[Architecture of Kerala|Kerala style architecture]]. The temple has a two storeyed [[gopuram]] or a gateway tower, with the upper storey having wooden trails covering the ''Kottupura'', the hall of drum beating during festivals. A rectangular wall around the temple, called ''Kshetra-Madilluka'' pierced by the gateways, encloses all the shrines of the temple. The metal plated flagpost or ''[[Dwajasthambam|dvajasthambam]]'' and the ''Deepastamba'', the light post, are located axial to the temple tower leading to the sanctum. ''Chuttuambalam'' is the outer pavilion located within the temple walls. The sanctum and the associated hall is located in a rectangular structure called ''Nallambalam'' that has pillared halls and corridors.<ref name=RoaB>[[#Rao|Rao 2012]], pp. 12-13</ref>

[[File:Thrickodithanam 6.JPG|thumb|250px|The shrines in the temple]]
Between the entrance of ''Nallambalam'' to the sanctum, there is a raised square platform called ''Namaskara Mandapa'' (altar) which has a pyramidal roof. ''Thevrapura'', the kitchen used to cook offering to the deity is located on the left of ''Namaskara Mandapa'' from the entrance. ''Balithara'' is an altar is used for making ritualistic offering to demi-gods and the festive deities. The sanctum called ''Sreekovil'', houses the image of the presiding deity. It is on an elevated platform with a single door reached through a flight of five steps. Either sides of the doors have images of guardian deities called [[Dvarapala]]kas. As per Kerala rituals, only the main priest called [[Thantri]] and the second priest called [[Melshanthi]] alone can enter the ''Sree Kovil''.<ref>[[#Culture|Cultural Heritage of Kerala 2008]], p. 139</ref> The central shrine has a circular plan with the base built of granite, superstructure built of laterite and conical roof made of terracotta tile supported from inside by a wooden structure. The lower half of ''Sree Kovil'' consists of the basement, the pillar or the wall, called {{Transliteration|hi|stambha}} or {{Transliteration|hi|bhithi}} and the entablature called {{Transliteration|hi|prasthara}} in the ratio 1:2:1, in height. Similarly the upper half is divided into the neck called {{Transliteration|hi|griva}}, the roof tower called {{Transliteration|hi|shikhara}} and the finial {{Transliteration|hi|kalasam}} (made of copper) in the same ratio. The roof projects in two levels to protect the inner structure from heavy rains during monsoon. The roof of the temple and some of the pillars have lavish wood and stucco carvings depicting various stories of ancient epics, [[Ramayana]] and [[Mahabharatha]].<ref>{{cite book|title=The Indian Encyclopaedia: Kamli-Kyouk Phyu|editor=Subodh Kapoor|page=3963|publisher=Genesis Publishing Pvt Ltd|year=2002|isbn=9788177552577|volume=13|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AYN0n0pzlpcC&q=kerala+temple+architecture&pg=PA3963}}</ref> The outer walls around the sanctum have a series of wooden frames housing an array of lamps, which are lit during festive occasions.<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Architecture and Organization of Kerala Style Hindu Temples|jstor=40460291|page=17|last=Noble|first=William A.|journal=Anthropos|year=1981|volume=76|issue=1/2|issn=0257-9774}}</ref> The temples has paintings on its walls dating back to early 18 century.<ref name=culture23>[[#Culture|Cultural Heritage of Kerala 2008]], p. 151</ref> The image of the presiding deity is {{convert|6|ft|m|abbr=on}} tall. Krishna is in [[Vishvarupa]] pose, the one he depicted to Arjuna during the Mahabharatha war.<ref name=Info>{{cite book|title=Pilgrimage to Temple Heritage|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nAt8AgAAQBAJ&q=aranmula+temple&pg=PA115|pages=115–116|publisher=Infokerala Communications Pvt. Ltd.|first=Biju|last=Mathew|isbn=9788192128443|year=2013}}</ref> In the second precinct, there are shrines of Sastha, Yakshi, Nagaraja and Erangavil Bhagavathy Balarama in the lower shrine.<ref name=Info/> The temple tank named Bhoomi Theertham is located opposite to the temple. The Vimanam, the roof the sanctum is called Punniya koti Vimaanam.<ref name=R/>

==Kazhuvetti Kallu==
[[File:Kazhuvetti Kallu.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Kazhuvetti Kallu at the Thrikodithanam Mahavishnu temple complex]]

Between the pond and the eastern entrance, near a public platform for arts and discourses, is a strange granite statue. It is a man flat on his back, held up stiff and straight on a stone pillar about six feet high. Only his waist rests on the pillar, rest of the body is unsupported. He holds a shankhu (conch shell) in his left hand and wears the sacred thread indicative of the Brahmin castes. At one time the statue wore a crown as well. The idol is a stern reminder that bribery, cheating and dishonesty cannot be tolerated. Anybody who goes after these evils will be met with the capital punishment, such as, that met with the man lying on the stone. Common folklore about this stone idol has a story of jealousy, indiscretion and swift retribution.

The ruler of Chembakaserry kingdom was a renowned Nambuthiri Brahmin who took pride in the prosperity of his own kingdom and Sri Krishna temple. Since temples were then considered keystones to a kingdom's spiritual and temporal well-being, the King decided to embarrass the rulers of Nanrulainattu (capital-Thrikodithanam) by making a deliberate, untimely visit to the famous Vishnu Temple.
He arrived in Thrikodithanam after the Seiveli puja (the last ceremony of the day) and after the temple had closed. It is considered very inauspicious to open a temple after the gods are put to rest, but still, the King forced an entry by bribing a caretaker.
When the rulers of Nanrulainattu discovered this indiscretion, they were furious. The caretaker was beheaded and, soon, the Chambakaserry king too fell ill and died. So this stone figure was installed near the temple entrance to deter any future offenders and to remind everybody of the consequences of disturbing the gods. Another version of the story lays the blame on the king of Ambalapuzha for this surreptitious darshana.<ref name=R/>

==Religious importance==
Arputha Narayana temple is revered in ''[[Nalayira Divya Prabhandam]]'', the 7th–9th century Vaishnava canon, by [[Nammazhwar|Nammalvar]]. The temple is classified as a ''[[Divyadesam|Divya Desam]]'', one of the 108 Vishnu temples that are mentioned in the book. The temple is also believed to be the place where ''Kutakkuttu'', a dance form where ladies hold an umbrella while dancing is practiced during worship.<ref name=R/>

The temple is under the administration of the [[Travancore Devaswom Board]].<ref name=dinamalar>{{cite web|title=Sri Arputha Narayanan temple|url=https://temple.dinamalar.com/en/new_en.php?id=106|publisher=Dinamalar|year=2011|access-date=20 August 2017}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{reflist|3}}

==References==
{{refbegin|20em}}
* {{cite book|title=Cultural Heritage of Kerala|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R7QNGkZKc5wC&q=kerala+temple+architecture&pg=PA139|publisher=DC Books|location=Kerala, India|isbn=9788126419036|year=2008|ref=Culture}}
* {{cite book|title=Temples of Kerala|publisher=Vasan Publications|last=Rao|first=A.V. Shankaranaryana|ref=Rao|year=2012|isbn=978-81-89888-94-7}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* http://www.thrikodithanamtemple.com/
* Thrikodithanam Maha-Vishnu Kshetram - https://thrikodithanam.wordpress.com/

[[Category:Hindu temples in Kottayam district]]
[[Category:Divya Desams]]
[[Category:Changanassery]]
[[Category:Vishnu temples in Kerala]]

Thrikodithanam Mahavishnu Temple - Revision history

Realhimachal: put up new place