THIRUMANDHAMKUNNU DEVI TEMPLE- FORWARD
Dearfriends,
Ivisited Thirumandhamkunnu Temple while I was working in Calicut in connection
with a marriage during 1997. It is one of the temples where idol ismade of
jack wood. Similar to Kadampuzha, muttarukkal is conducted in thistemple also.
I found a good write-up in Wikipedia about the temple and thought of forwarding
Sincerely,
Gopalakrishnan3-6-2022
1 Introduction
ThirumandhamkunnuTemple is a historically significant Hindu temple in
Angadipuram, which was the capital of ValluvanadRajavamsham, in Malappuram
district, Kerala state, South India. Thetemple deity, Thirumandhamkunnil amma,
was the paradevatha (official goddess)of the kings of Valluvanad, the local
feudal kings ruled the area in the MiddleAges. The Nair warriors(called
Chavers, literally "martyrs") of Valluvanad king set out fromthis temple to
Thirunavaya, to participate in the famous Mamankam festival.A memorial
structure called the chaver thara ("platform of themartyrs") can be found in
front of the main entrance of theThirumanthamkunnu Temple.
Thetemple is also an important pilgrim center, especially for the
eleven-day-longannual festival celebrated in March and April months of the
Gregorian calendar.The "principaldeity" of temple is Lord Shiva. But the famous
deity is Sree Bhadrakali orSree Parvathy, locally known as
Thirumandhamkunnilamma and Ganesha,for whom the famous marriage oblation
(Mangalya Puja) is performed. Devoteesbelieve Mangalya puja will remove
obstacles for one's marriage.Thirumandhamkunnilamma is considered the Supreme
Mother, Shakthi Devi inHinduism. Bhadrakalibelieved to be born from the third
eye of lord Shiva to kill the demon kingDaruka. Bhadra means good and Kali
means goddess of time. Bhadrakaliis worshiped for prosperity and salvation.
Devi is considered as the creator,protector, destroyer, nature & kundalini.
Mangalya Puja, RigvedaLaksharchana, Chandattam and Kalampattu are the important
religious offeringsof the Thirumanthamkunnu Temple.
There are ceremonies and rituals specific to this Hindu temple thatare not
carried out at others. TheThirumanthamkunnu Temple courtyards are on a hilltop
that provides a view ofthe countryside spread out below.
2 Legend surrounding ThirumanthamkunnuTemple
King Mandhata of Surya dynasty ruled hiskingdom for a long period. He then
gave away the kingdom to his successors andchose to meditate on supreme god
Shiva and attain the Shiva's feet at the end.Shiva was pleased with his penance
appeared before the king Mandhata andoffered him any boon at Mount Kailash. The
king prayed to the lord for an idol to worship tillhis death. Shiva gave him
the most holy Shiva Lingam which was toodear to him and which used to be
worshipped by Parvati and then the goddisappeared.
Carrying the Shiva Lingam on head, KingMandhata started his downward journey
from Mount Kailashand reached the hillnow known as "Thirumandhamkunnu" in
Kerala. A spring withcrystal-clear water flowed along the northern slope of the
hill. Many beautifulbirds chirped in the jungle. Wild animals like lion, tiger,
and elephant roamedabout in the wilderness in full harmony forgetting their
traditional enmity.Different kinds of trees and plants grew in the region and
gave out sweet smellinto the atmosphere. The surrounding attracted the king.
Feelings of idol on his headheavy he placed it on the ground at immediately the
Shiva Lingam got stuck intothe earth.
Shiva had gifted the Shiva Lingam to the king when his consort Parvatiwas away
for her bath. When Parvati turned up for worship the Shiva Lingam wasnot there.
Shegot upset on enquiry she know that it was presented to the King Mandhata,
byher husband. Being too much attached to it she wanted the Shiva Lingam back.
Shiva told her that he had no objection in her trying to getit back. Parvati
now offered Bhadrakali and a host of bhootha to rush up andget back the Shiva
Lingam from the King. With the army of bhootha,Bhadrakali reached the northern
slope of Thirumandha hill. The brightness emitted by theShiva Lingam installed
by king Mandhata was so great that it dazzled the eyesof Bhadrakali and the
bhoothas and they were unable to move up the hills.So they started throwing up
the weapons from the foot of the hill. The asceticattending on Mandhata were
unarmed but tried to defend themselves with whateverthings they had. These
being insufficient to protect them they plucked Attanga nuts from theircreeper
plants, which were available in plenty and threw them at the enemy.Because of
the power of Shiva and the divine power of Mandhata the nuts got changed into
arrowsinstantly. Bhadrakali and her army of bhootha could not resist themthe
fight lasted for fifteen days.
The age-old custom of"Attangayeru" on first of Thulam (the Malayalam month) on
the newmoonday of the same month in the forenoon before pantheerady pooja
refers to thelegendary fight between mandhatha and kali.
Expecting defeat Mahamaya took herviswaroopa. She had an elephant in one ear
and a lion in theother as earrings. Seeing this form the ascetics fell down
senseless. Whenmahamaya in this form reached the hilltop Mandhatha was also
helpless. He embraced the sivalinga, kalitried to capture it by force. In this
struggle that followed the linga gotsplit into two. In the "Jyothis" that arose
from it"THRIMOORTHIS" (Brahma, Vishnu and Siva) and Parvathy appeared on
thespot.
Parvathytold Mandhatha this idol was very dear to me. Still I do not want to
take itaway from you against the wishes of my husband. Separation from it is
alsodifficult for me. SoI will enter that linga and remain here forever. My
daughter kali isnot different from me. Actually she came here first. Let her
also be installednear me facing north and have all poojas and festival
performed. So same Parvathy disappearedinto the idol. This spot is the
"SREEMOOLASTHANAM". The sivalinga here is still in split condition. Its
position isbelow the "peedam" and "Prabhamandalam" and can be seenonly during
the abhisheka before the ushapooja and "Malarnivedia" tothe deity.
Asordered by Parvathy, Bhadrakali with Sapthamathrukkal, Veerabhadra and
Ganapatywere installed facing north. This is called "Mathrusala". Pooram, Pattu
and all such festivalsintended for this goddess.
WhenSree Parvathy appears infant Ganapathy was also with her. This infant
Ganapathyalso been installed at sreemoolasthanam.
Sree Parvathy appeared facing west. Theinstallations of Sivalinga at
Sreemoolasthanam were facing east.It was thus for necessary to have two darshan
openings one to the east and theother to west. Thefamily descendants of
"Valluva Konathiri" do not generally open theone on the west except for
darshan. On either side of the doorwayhere are two openings through which other
worshippers can have darshan of thedeity. But in recent past the restrictions
has been modified. After each pooja,the door is kept open for some time for
darshan of the deity by devotees.
Mandhathaspent many years at thirumandhamkunnu in meditation and thapusu. At
last heknew it was time for him to leave this world. He was thinking of
entrusting thetemple to someone for perfect upkeep and maintenance when two
Brahmins came there.Mandhatha told them his desire gave them a Grandha
containing instructions onthe performance of poojas and entrusted the shrine to
them. He then retired tothe jungle nearby now known as "KUKSHIPPARAKKAD" and
freed himselffrom this world of mortals by his yogic powers.
Bhakthaswho go round this jungle paying homage pick out a leaf from the growing
plantsand keep it in hair with at most reverence. This area isstill a protected
jungle. In the Devaprashna conducted in 1959 it wasobserved that an idol of
mandhatha should be installed here and poojas,performed. The temple priests
before pooja every Malayalam month. The annualpooja on Chithra in midhunam on
Mandhatha is on special significance.
Two Brahmins entrusted with the upkeepof temple, one cleared the jungle around
the idol and hence came to be known as"KATTILLAMUTTAM". The otherprepared
pavilion for prathishta and came to be known as "PANTHALAKODE". Thethanthri of
thirumandhamkunnu temple is still a descendant from either of thesefamilies.
The nair karyasthan who was with them was given the title "chathathumarar"
andmade the blower of holy conch in the temple. The Namboodiri'sinformed the
news to Vadakkara swaroopam raja that was subordinate chieftain ofvalluvanadu
raja holding the title mannarmala raja. He immediately rushed to the spot
(Seeing theover-lord of the hill the goddess got up and paid homage to him.This
humility of Devi-the sustainer of three worlds—made the raja blink inshame and)
he prayed to the goddess to see him as a son. He then presented anelephant to
the goddess and worshipped her from its rear, standing in itsshadow. His
descendants also followed the same practice. Even now direct darshan
ofthirumandhamkunnu Bhagavathy is not permissible to mannarmala raja.
Thefirst Vallavaraja who took over the control of the temple entrusted its
upkeepand maintenance to the local feudal lords "ETTUVEETIL ACHANS" and made
themtrusty. Erukalikara nair was made kavudaya nair. Sreemoolasthanam does not
havea roof, which is an evidence of it having been a kavu.
Thepainting on the walls of the mathrusala throws light to this legend.
Thesepaintings which are in lying with the wall painting at
suchindram,Pundarikkapuram, vaikom and Guruvayoor were executed in 1944.
Thirumandhamkunnu Pooram, the annualfestival of the temple is an 11-day-long
celebration which is amajor festival in the district of Malappuram in which
"Aarattu" is abeautiful custom. Aaraattu, the bathing ceremony of Devi, in
which the holyidol is carried on the tallest elephant accompanied by 5 other
elephantsleading to the lake nearby the temple. The idol is given a holy bath
by themain offerer of the temple and taken back into the temple.
References
"AngadipuramTemple". Retrieved 13 October 2006.
"Malappuram".malappuram.net. Retrieved 13 October 2006.
"Thirumandhamkunnutemple, Angadipuram". kerlatourism.org. Retrieved 13 October
2006.
"Thirumandhamkunnutemple, Angadipuram". Official Website Kerala Tourism.
Retrieved 13October 2006.
"Vallabha Vamsam III". varma.net.Retrieved 13 October 2006.
My note- Sri Venkita ramanPerinthalmanna had send to me the history of
thetemple edited by him long back but not able to trace now be me. On reading
the Wikipediait came to my recollection.
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