Pickleballexpert at 15:46, 17 July 2025

2025-07-17T15:46:56Z

New page

{{Short description|Hindu temple in Kerala, India}}
{{More citations needed|date=July 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox temple
| name = Chengannur Mahadeva Temple
| image = Chengannur Mahadeva4.JPG
| alt =
| caption =
| map_type = India Kerala
| map_caption = Mahadeva Temple, [[Chengannur]], [[Alappuzha district|Alappuzha]], [[Kerala]]
| coordinates = {{coord|9|19|27.5|N|76|36|41.1|E|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| other_names =
| proper_name =
| country = {{flag|India}}
| state = [[Kerala]]
| district = [[Alappuzha district|Alappuzha]]
| location = [[Chengannur]]
| elevation_m = 49.28
| deity = {{plainlist|
* Mahadeva ([[Shiva]])
* [[Bhagavati]] ([[parvathi]] or [[mahakali]])
}}
| Vimanam =
| Prathyaksham =
| festivals = {{plainlist|
* Varshikotsav (yearly festival)
* [[Shivaratri]]
* [[Chitra Pournami (festival)|Chitrapournami]]
* Thripputhu
}}
| architecture = {{plainlist|
* [[Dravidian architecture]]
* [[Kerala architecture]]
}}
| temple_quantity = One
| monument_quantity =
| inscriptions =
| year_completed =
| creator = [[Perumthachan]]
| website =
}}

'''Chengannur Mahadeva Temple''' is a prominent [[Hindu temple]], dedicated to [[Shiva]] and located in the town of [[Chengannur]] in the [[South India]]n state of [[Kerala]]. The temple is one of the major Shiva temples in Kerala, along with the [[Ettumanoor Mahadevar Temple]], [[Kaduthruthy Mahadeva Temple]], [[Vaikom Temple]], [[Ernakulam Shiva Temple]] and [[Vadakkunnathan Temple]].<ref>{{cite journal|title=Kerala Siva Temples|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-3980516.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924180952/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-3980516.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=24 September 2015|journal=Hinduism Today|date=31 July 1997|access-date=5 August 2015|via=[[HighBeam Research]]}}</ref> goddess [[Parvati]] is worshipped with equal importance.There are shrines for [[Ganesha]], [[Dakshinamurti]], [[Subrahmanya]], [[Shasta (deity)|Shasta]], [[Krishna]], [[Shiva#Attributes|Nilagriva]], Sthalisha, [[Hanuman]], [[Ganga (goddess)|Ganga]], and [[Naga (Hinduism)|serpent deities]] inside and outside the temple complex.

The temple celebrates a rare [[menstruation]] festival for parvathi, called ''Thripputhu'' ({{langx|ml|തൃപ്പൂത്ത്}}), during which the temple is closed for three days for the irregular menstruation of the deity.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-12-16 |title=This Chengannur temple celebrated its menstruating goddess |url=https://www.onmanorama.com/travel/kerala/2019/12/16/chengannur-temple-celebrated-menstruating-goddess.html |access-date=2023-07-30 |website=OnManorama}}</ref> There are five daily ''[[Puja (Hinduism)|pujas]]'' done in the temple, three ''sarabalies'' for Shiva and three for [[Parvati]]. [[Tantra|Tantric]] worship is led by a member of the [[Thazhamon Madom]] family. The yearly festival (''vaarshika ulsavam'') is celebrated from December to January and lasts 28 days. The temple is administered by the [[Travancore Devaswom Board]].

==Legend==
It is believed that [[Parvati]], the consort of [[Shiva]], came here after marrying him in the [[Himalayas]]. Parvati had her menstrual period for 28 days. Bhadrakali is considered a reincarnation of [[Sati (goddess)|Sati]], whose [[Kamakhya Temple]] fell in the north.<ref>{{cite book|title=India: A Sacred Geography|last=Eck|first=Diana L|date=27 March 2012|page=296|publisher=Potter/TenSpeed/Harmony|isbn=9780385531917}}</ref> Another variant of the same legend indicates that the sage [[Agastya]], who could not witness Shiva and Parvati's sacred marriage, was visited by the pair afterward. Since Parvati was menstruating, she waited for 28 days to give ''[[Darshan (Indian religions)|darshan]]'' to the sage.<ref name=Meena>{{cite book|title=Temples in South India|last=V.|first=Meena|publisher=Harikumar Arts|location=Kanniyakumari|year=1974|edition=1st|page=54}}</ref>

==Architecture==
[[File:Chengannur Mahadeva1.JPG|left|thumb|200px|Temple tower along with the sanctum]]
The temple is located in the heart of [[Chengannur]], very close to the [[Pamba River]]. The town is considered one of the 32 [[Namputiri]] towns in Kerala, and Mahadeva (Shiva) is believed to be the god of the town. The presiding deity Mahadeva in the form of a [[lingam]] faces east, while the image of his consort Bhadrakali is located behind it facing west. The temple is approached through a temple tower, built in [[Architecture of Kerala|Kerala style]], and by passing a golden flagstaff, both of which are axial to the central shrine. There are shrines around the temple in the second precinct for [[Shasta (deity)|Shasta]] and Nilagriva, while an image of [[Ganesha]] is seen in the first precinct. The image of Bhadrakali is made of [[panchaloha]], an alloy of five metals. It is believed that Perumachuten brought the image to the temple.<ref name=Info>{{cite book|title=Pilgrimage to Temple Heritage|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nAt8AgAAQBAJ&q=chengannur+mahavishnu+temple&pg=PA567|page=136|publisher=Infokerala Communications Pvt. Ltd.|first=Biju|last=Mathew|year=2013|isbn=9788192128443}}</ref>

The temple is built in Kerala-style architecture, which is common in all temples in the South Indian state of Kerala. The temple has a two-storeyed ''[[gopuram]]'' or gateway tower, with the upper story having wooden rails covering the ''kottupura'' (a hall of drum beating during festivals). A rectangular wall called the ''kshetra-madilluka'', pierced by gateways, encloses all of the temple's shrines. The metal-plated flagstaff or ''[[Dwajasthambam|dvajasthambam]]'' is located axial to the temple tower leading to the central sanctum, and there is a ''[[deepastambha]]'', which is a lamp post. The ''chuttambalam'' is the outer pavilion within the temple walls. The central shrine and the associated hall is located in a rectangular structure called ''nalambalam''. Between the entrance of the ''nalambalam'' and the sanctum, there is a raised square platform called a ''namaskara mandapa'' which has a pyramidal roof. ''Thevrapura'', the kitchen used to cook offerings to the deity is located on the left of the ''namaskara mandapa'' from the entrance. ''Balithara'' is an altar used for making ritualistic offerings to demigods and the festive deities. The central shrine called the ''sri-kovil'' houses the image of the presiding deity. It is on an elevated platform with a single door reached through a flight of five steps. Both 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]] can enter the ''sri-kovil''.<ref>{{cite book|title=Cultural Heritage of Kerala|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R7QNGkZKc5wC&q=kerala+temple+architecture&pg=PA139|page=139|publisher=DC Books|location=Kerala, India|isbn=9788126419036|year=2008}}</ref> The central shrine has a circular plan with a base of granite, superstructure of laterite and conical roof made of terracotta tile supported from inside by a wooden structure. The lower half of the ''sri-kovil'' consists of the basement, the pillar or the wall, called ''stambha'' or ''bhithi''{{which lang|date=January 2020}} and the entablature called ''prasthara'' in the ratio 1:2:1, in height. Similarly the upper half is divided into the neck called ''griva'', the roof tower called ''shikhara'' and the finial ''kalasam'' (made of copper) in the same ratio. The roof projects in two levels to protect the inner structure from heavy rains during monsoon seasons. The roof of the temple and some of the pillars have lavish wood and stucco carvings depicting various stories of ancient epics, the [[Ramayana]] and [[Mahabharata]].<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>

==Festival and worship practises==
[[File:ചെങ്ങന്നൂർക്ഷേത്രം.jpg|500px|thumb|A view of the temple premises]]
There are five daily [[Puja (Hinduism)|pujas]] done in the temple, three ''sarabalies'' for Shiva and three for Bhadrakali. Tantric worship is done by a member of the Thazhamon family. The temple celebrates a rare menstruation festival for Bhadrakali, called ''Thripputhu'', during which the temple is closed for three days during the irregular menstruation of the deity. The appearance of a stain in the white garment is considered an aspect of devotion.<ref>{{cite book|title=Encyclopedia of Goddesses and Heroines|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Cj5OAwAAQBAJ&q=chengannur+temple&pg=PA91|page=91|last=Monaghan|first=Patricia |publisher=New World Library|year=2014|isbn=9781608682188}}</ref> As per accounts of the temple officials, in modern times, the feature is observed once in three or four months, while it was regularly observed during the olden times. The ceremony usually resembles the puberty ceremony of high-class girls in Kerala.<ref>{{cite book|title=Devi: Goddesses of India|url=https://archive.org/details/devi00john|url-access=registration|quote=chengannur temple.|pages=[https://archive.org/details/devi00john/page/215 215]–6|last1=Hawley|first1=John Stratton|last2=Wulff|first2=Donna Marie|publisher=University of California Press|year=1996|isbn=9780520916296 }}</ref> The ''sri-kovil'' is closed during the three days and opened after a purification ceremony is performed during the fourth day.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Legacy of Kerala|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=S9RMxjdjUVAC&q=chengannur+temple&pg=PA23|page=35|publisher=D C Books|year=1982|isbn=9788126437986|last=Menon|first=Sreedhara A}}</ref>

Thiruppooth Aratt is a festival celebrated in the temple at least thrice a year when the festival images of Mahadeva and Bhadrakali are taken in a procession on decorated elephants to the Pamba River. A holy dip, called ''arat'' is offered to the images and the decorated images are taken back to the temple. Women devotees carry traditional ''[[thalappoli]]'' lamps during the procession. The procession is accompanied by a temple orchestra and [[panchavadyam]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Hundreds witness 'Tiruppooth Arat' at Chengannur temple|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/hundreds-witness-tiruppooth-arat-at-chengannur-temple/article236841.ece|newspaper=The Hindu|location=Pathanamthitta|date=11 March 2011|access-date=5 August 2015}}</ref> The major festivals in the temple are flag hoisting on the [[Thiruvathirai]] month of Dhanu and [[Aaraattu]] during the Thiruvathirai month of Makaram.<ref name=Info/> The yearly festival is celebrated from December to January and lasts 28 days.<ref>{{cite web|title=Chengannur Taluk|url=http://alappuzha.nic.in/pages/aboutalpy-taluk-5-chengannur.htm|publisher=Alapuzha District administration|access-date=5 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150715235613/http://alappuzha.nic.in/pages/aboutalpy-taluk-5-chengannur.htm|archive-date=2015-07-15|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==See also==

* [[Temples of Kerala]]
* [[Temple festivals of Kerala]]

==References==
{{reflist|3}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Chengannur Mahadeva temple}}

{{Vaippu sthalam}}

[[Category:Shiva temples in Kerala]]
[[Category:Hindu temples in Alappuzha district]]
[[Category:108 Shiva Temples]]

Chengannur Mahadeva Temple - Revision history

Pickleballexpert at 15:46, 17 July 2025