The Aazhimala Shiva Temple is a Hindu temple located on the coast of the Arabian Sea near Vizhinjam in the Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala, India. Dedicated to Shiva, the temple is known for the Template:Convert tall Template:Lang sculpture, which is the tallest Shiva sculpture in Kerala.[1] The temple is built in a style resembling the architecture of Tamil Nadu. It is governed by the Aazhimala Shiva Temple Devaswom Trust.[2]
Location
The temple is located in Pulinkudi in the panchayat of Kottukal in Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala. It is situated Template:Convert off VizhinjamTemplate:En dashPoovar road near a cliff adjacent to the beach.[3][4]
Administration
The temple is governed by the Aazhimala Shiva Temple Devaswom Trust. The trust organizes the annual festival and makes important decisions regarding temple affairs.[2]
Architecture
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The architectural style of the temple is similar to the temples of Tamil Nadu. The outer wall and gopuram are decorated and adorned by colorful sculptures of different Hindu deities like Ganesha, Ayyappan, Vishnu, Kartikeya and Hanuman. The shrines of the principal deity and other subordinate deities are also vibrant, with carvings, murals and decorations.[5]
Gangadhareshwara sculpture
Inside the temple, there is an Template:Convert tall concrete sculpture of Shiva in Template:Lang figure.[6] It was sculpted by P. S. Devadathan a native of Aazhimala.[7] Construction of the sculpture started on 2 April Template:Date and was completed and opened to the public on Template:Date.[8] It is currently the tallest Template:Lang sculpture in India and the tallest Shiva sculpture in Kerala.[9]
The sculpture depicts a four-armed Shiva in a seated posture. The back right hand holds a damaru, the front right hand rests in the right thigh, the back left hand holds a trishula and the front left hand is in a raised position within the jaṭā (dreadlocks), which holds Ganga.[1] The sculpture is mounted on a rock at a height of Template:Convert.[7]
Festivals
Utsavam, the annual festival, is conducted during the Malayalam month of Template:Lang (JanuaryTemplate:En dashFebruary). Shivaratri is another special occasion.Template:Citation needed Tuesdays are usually the busiest day with many devotees coming from faraway places.[10]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 കേരളത്തിലെ വലിപ്പമേറിയ ശിവ രൂപം,അല തല്ലുന്ന കടലിനു മേലെ തല ഉയർത്തി ഗംഗാധരേശ്വരൻ; വിസ്മയം, ലേഖകൻ, മനോരമ. ManoramaOnline(29 December 2020). Retrieved 7 October 2023.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Azhimala Shiva Temple to get upgraded facilities, S., Gautham. The New Indian Express(20 January 2021). Retrieved 7 October 2023.
- ↑ Azhimala turns a death trap for visitors. The Hindu(19 September 2023). Retrieved 18 June 2023.
- ↑ Azhimala Shiva Temple, Timings, History, Travel Guide and How to reach. tfiglobalnews.com(2022-12-31). Retrieved 2023-06-18.
- ↑ Aazhimala Siva Temple Thiruvananthapuram. www.hitvm.in. Retrieved 2023-06-18.
- ↑ Aazhimala Shiva Temple: Where divinity blends with heritage, Johnson, George. The New Indian Express(24 February 2023). Retrieved 7 October 2023.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 58-ft-tall statue of Lord Shiva in Azhimala attracts many tourists, Theresa, Deena. The New Indian Express(5 January 2021). Retrieved 7 October 2023.
- ↑ ആറുവര്ഷത്തെ കാത്തിരിപ്പിനു വിരാമം; ദൃശ്യവിസ്മയം തീര്ത്ത് 58 അടി ഉയരമുള്ള പിനാകധാരി; സോഷ്യല് മീഡിയയില് തരംഗമായി ആഴിമല ഗംഗാധരേശ്വര രൂപം. Janmabhumi(31 December 2020). Retrieved 7 October 2023.
- ↑ കടൽ തീരത്തെ ശിവരൂപ വിസ്മയം; തീർഥാടന ടൂറിസത്തിന്റെ ഭാഗമാകാൻ ആഴിമല ക്ഷേത്രം, ഡെസ്ക്, വെബ്. Madhyamam(11 January 2021). Retrieved 7 October 2023.
- ↑ കേരളത്തിലെ ഏറ്റവും വലിയ ശിവപ്രതിമ ഉയര്ന്ന ആഴിമല ക്ഷേത്ര വിശേഷങ്ങൾ. malayalam.nativeplanet.com(2023-02-13). Retrieved 2023-06-17.