Friday 20 July 2012

Snake Temples in Kerala

Snake Temples in Kerala

Worshipping snakes  is very common in Kerala. The following are the famous temples.

Ameda temple
This temple is located near the Vembanad lake in Thripunithura. The main festival is conducted during the "Meenam" month (March-April) of Malayalam calendar.


Pambumekkadu Mana Temple

Pambummekkadu Mana  is famous for snake worship and for getting snake-related problems(Sarpa Dosham) solved.

You can enter the temple with a pure mind and body to seek the blessings of the serpent Gods. The Serpent Gods Nagaraja and Naga yakshi  reside in the eastern portion of Mekkattu Mana. There are five Kavus of snakes. . In its place there is all time burning oil-lamp (Kedavilakku). The Prasadam given to the devotees is the oil from the lamp. The oil Prasadam has the power to cure the diseases caused due to the curse of snakes.

First of Vrishchikam and Ayilyam in the month of Kanni is very important here.

How to reach
The nearest railway station is Chalakudy. Devotees can reach here by road from any part of Kerala.There are  buses from Mala, Ashtamichira and Kodungallur, Chalakkudy. There is a small junction named vadama on the route from Mala to Ashtamichira.

Important Offerings
Kadali Pazha Vivedyam, Manjalppodi, Noorum Palum , Palppayam, Thulabharam, Ayilya Pooja are some of the main offerings.


Mannarassala Temple

The king of snakes is known as Nagaraja and the temple of Mannarshala is dedicated to him.
The town of Haripad lies twenty miles north of Trivandrum, the capital of Kerala. The Nagaraja temple of Mannarshala is three kilometres to the north of Haripad

There are thousands of snakes of granite in this area covered with dense thickets. In the main temple there are two idols. One of them is NAGARAJA (King) and the other is NAGAYAKSHI (Queen). Every month Ayilyam day is very sacred here.  The annual UTSAVAM at this temple is celebrated on Ayilyam of Thulam (OCT-NOV) when a large number of people visit it and make offerings of gold, silver, salt etc.

Those who does not have children visit this temple and perform a ritual known as 'Uruli Kamazhthal'.The couple has to come and pray the serpent Gods and place a brass vessel known as 'Uruli' upside down in a place shown by the temple authorities.The lady will become pregnant very soon and after her delivery the couple again visit the temple and takes back the brass vessel. In this manner many couples are believed to have been blessed with children.

Traditional music sung by the caste known as Pulluvas accompanied by their simple hand-made stringed instruments, is highly beloved by snakes

1 comment:

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