Ettumanoor, situated about 10 KM from Kottayam railway station is famous and one of the most celebrated Shiva temples in Kerala. This is an ancient temple has its own sanctity and brought glory and fame to the place by its Myths and puranic legends. Many vedic names are associated with this temple and it is believed that Pandavas, Sage Vyasa visited this temple. Shri Adi Shankaracharya, known as Bhagavatpada Acharya composed his 'Soundarya Lahari' here from this place. Owing to the power of the 'Aghora Moorthy' the temple considers to be a very important place of worship which attracts pilgrims, devotees and Ayyappa bakthas not only from the country but also from abroad. Being our family deity temple, we make it a point to visit this temple to have darshan of Sri Mahadevar as frequently as possible whenever we visit Kerala.
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| Sri Ettumanoorappan |
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| Temple main entrance |
Legend has it that great Saint Khara Prakasha worshiped Shiva at Chidambaram and prayed for installing Shivalinga for the betterment of humanity. Lord Shiva blessed him and presented three Shivalingas by his own self. He journeyed holding one Shivalibnga on each hand and one in his mouth or neck. He reached Vaikom, and wanted to take some refreshing. He kpet the Shivalinga on ground. After his return, he realised that he could not lift the Shivalinga. He installed this Shivalinga at this place Vaikom and the other two Shivalibngas at Ettumanoor and at Kaduthuruthy. It is believed that visiting these three Shiva temples at these three places in a single day is of great significant and auspicious.
Several other legends associated with this temple has it say that this "Aghora Moorthy' Shiva at this temple is said to be grave in nature. Saint Khara Prakasha left the place after installing the idol in the present position. For many years, it remained quite unknown and this place became a dense forest. Once, a harijan woman while collecting arrow roots with her sickle happened to hit a stone which began bleeding. Meantime, her tool and basket were thrown off which fell near Vaikom and at Ettumanoor. The woman informed this matter to the authorities and the presence of divinity came to be known to everybody. Even today, the scar made by the sickle is still visible on the Shiva Linga. Later on, another Saint who visited this place was disrespected by the locals and cursed and in an anger he cursed that this place should remain unnoticed and abandoned. Thousand years later, Saint Vilwamangalathu Swamiyar revealed the divinity here and the temple was renovated. Further, the temple was reconstructed by Pandya King Chanda Bhakaran atound 1540 A.D.
The present temple structure with its Western Gopuram at the main entrance with rich decorations, and the praharams around (circumbulatory path) were reconstructed in 1542 A.D. There are Dravidian mural paintings on the walls inside and outside the main entrance and these are considered to be one of the finest wall paintings in India. One of the paintings 'dancing of the Shiva' is a magnificent piece of ancient art. A glittering golden flag mast (Kodimaram) with eight Guardian Gods "Ashthadik Paalaks" installed inside the temple welcomes the devotees is a major attraction in this temple. The architecture of this temple shows an excellent authentication for the Vishwakarma Sthapathis for their architectural skills. The temple roofs are covered with copper sheets and it has 14 ornamental tops.
A rectangular circumbulatory passage surrounds the sanctum are fixed with oil lamps in wooden frames and these are lit during festival times which is a beautiful sight to see at night. The sanctum bears wooden intricate carvings of superior workmanship portraying legends from the Ramayana and the Bhagavata puranam.
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| Temple inside with Golden Kodimaram |
A narrow corridor leads to the inner sanctum where the presiding deity "Agora Moorthy" Lord Shiva is consecrated on a elevated sanctum sanctorum (Garpagraha) which is accessible through a few steps. Only the Priest (Melsanthi) and his deputies are allowed to do poojas at the garpagraha. At the base level of the sloping deck, a small crowd of devotees can have a clear darshan at a time since the angle of vision is limited. Opposite to the main deity sannathi a large mandapam is there where on the northern side Goddess Bhagavathy sannadhi and on the eastern sannadhi demon Yakshi sannadhi are there.
Separate sannadhis are there for Sastha, Ganapathy, and Chief Messenger of Lord Shiva 'Anthimahakalan'. On the northern side, few yards away from the main temple, a small beautiful temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna.
One among the important festival being celebrated in a grand manner for ten days in this temple is 'Aarattu Festival' performed on the Thiruvathira day in February - March every year. Large gathering of devotees witness the 8th and 10th day when seven two feet tall elephant statues and the eighth elephant statue is a one foot tall statue (hence called seven and half elephant statues - 'Ezharaponnanna in Malayalam) made of about 13 Kgs of gold with a Pazhukka Kua (a bunch of Arecanuts) donated by Travancore Maharaja Karthika Thirunal will be taken out in a procession around the circumbulatory path and kept at a place for public darshan. These Ezharaponnnana denote the 8 dhik paalakas or the guardians of the cardinal directions are displayed. These Ezharaponnana when saw in the mist of brilliant lights of Theevaties (big oil torches) is indeed a thrilling experience is a great visual spectacle to the devotees. This temple, one of the wealthiest Devaswoms in Kerala has many valuable possessions. The Aarattu procession accompanied by many caparisoned elephants and traditional temple orchestra all give a scintillating glorious moments for the devotees who gather in large numbers during the temple annual festival.
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| Ezharaponnna procession |
The Prominent features of the temple constitute - 1) Valiyavilakku - a Divine Oil Lamp keeps ever awake, continuously spreading spiritual light to millions and millions of devotees. Devotees offer Gingelly oil for this valiyavilakku and it is a belief that the soot that accumulated at the bottom of the surface of its shade has been found to cure many eye diseases.
2) Vrishbha Vahanam (Bronze Ox) - A ruler in the middle of the 8th century Chempakassery Raja Devanarayanan worshiped Sri Ettumanoorappan and got cured his incurable disease acute stomach pain. He donated two "Vrishbha Vahanam made of Bronze with 'chennellu' a kind of paddy grain. The vahanams are kept in the mandapam.
Click below to listen to another beautiful song on Sri Ettumanoorappan.
POOJA TIMINGS: Morning 4.00 A.M. to 12.00 Noon and Evening 5.00 P.M. to 8.30 p.m.
Contact address: Adm. officer, Ettumanur Mahadever Temple, Ettumanoor. Phone: 0481-537675
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