LORD OF VAIKOM-PART1- FORWARD Vaikom is 33 km. south of Ernakulam and40-km. northwest of Kottayam. It can be reached by bus or by rail. There isalso the inevitable launch for those fond of cruising on the scenic backwaters(of Vembanad).
It is a quiet, unimpressive place, but it is famous for its Siva temple and forthis reason acclaimed as DakshinaKasi. Its golden tazhikakudam at the pinnaclebeckons you from quite a distance. Life in this little town literally revolvesround the deity. It is endearingly called Lord of Vaikom or Perumthrikovilappanor simply Vaikatnappan. His name is ever on the lips of devotees. Every morning and evening the place comes to life with hundreds ofdevotees thronging the shrine with chants of "Namasivaya", "HaraHara Mahadeva", and "Shambho Mahadeva." Old people cry: "Hara Shankara Siva Shankara Duritam Kala(remove all ills) Sivane." The Younger ones pray for ajob or for promotion or for children. The sick ask for health. Parameswaragrants everybody's wishes. 1 NARANAYNGANE JANICHHUBHOOMIYIL My note- During my boyhood days it was common to make prayer toLord of Vaikkam in the morning after lighting the LAMP. Naranayingane Janichhu bhoomiyil… The full sloka and it’stranslation by P R Ramachandar is given below Naranayingane-A prayer in Malayalam to God of Vaikkam BY Poonthanam Translated byP.R.Ramachander (Vaikom is one of the most important Shiva temples in Kerala. Here is a prayer addressed to that God in Malayalam.) 1.Naranayingane janichubhoomiyil, Naraka varidhi naduvil Jnan, Naraksthil ninnenne kara ketheedenam, Thiru vaikam vaazhum Shiva shambo 1.As a human being I took birth in this world, But I am now in the middle of the ocean of hell, Pleasemake me climb to thebanks of hell, Oh Shiva Oh Shambhu who lives in holy Vaikom 2.Marana kalathe bhayathe chinthichal, Mathi marannu pom Manamellam, Mana tharil vannu vilayadidenam, THiru Vaikam Vaazhum Shiva Shambo 2.When we think about the fearat the time of death,Our minds forgetall that we know,And So please come and play in my mind,Oh Shiva Oh Shambhu who lives in holy Vaikom 3.Shiva Shiva yonnum parayaavathalla, Mahaa maya than prakruthikal, Mahaa Maya neekkitarulenamNadha, THiru Vaikam Vaazhum Shiva Shambo 3,OH Shiva shiva weare not able to say anything ,About the nature of Maha Maya,And so please remove that Maha Maya from there,Oh Shiva Oh Shambhu who lives in holy Vaikom 4.Valiyoru kaattil akapetten jnanum, Vazhiyum kaanaathe uzhalumbol, Vazhiyil ner vazhiyaruleedenam Nadha, THiru Vaikam Vaazhum Shiva Shambo 4.I got caught in a very bigforest And when I was wandering without knowing the way,Oh Lord please show me the straight pathm Oh Shiva Oh Shambhu who lives in holy Vaikom 5.Yeluppamayulla vazhiyekkanumbol, Idakkide yaru padiyundu, Padiyaarum kadannuavide chrllumbol, THiru Vaikam Vaazhum Shiva Shambo 5.When we see the eay pathout, In between in several places there is six stairs, And when climb all the six stairs and reach there, Oh Shiva Oh Shambhu who lives in holy Vaikom Shiva Shambho Shambho , Shiva Shambho Shambho , Shiva Shambho Shambho , Shiva Shambho Shambho , 2 Annadana Prabhu The life of people here is intimately connected with the deitybecause he has been Annadana Prabhu -Giver of food. Till a few years ago the temple regularly ensured food atleast to hundreds of people belonging to the ‘upper' castes. Tonnes of rice were cooked and the dishes had a unique flavor. Inthe uttupura or feeding shed (a two-storied building, more than 1,000 feetlong) attached to the temple, People sat in long row baskets of steaming ricewere emptied on to their plantain leaves. They mixed the rice with sambhar andpappadams and ate with audible relish. Other caste Hindus also had their share. On special occasions like the Maharaja's birthday or theMaharani's death anniversary there were feasts with delicacies made ofjackfruit and coconut milk. The number of courses ran upto hundred on these days. Now, thanks to shortages of foodstuffs, rationing and a general change inattitudes, feasts are held on a much smaller scale and at longer intervals. Nevertheless, offering of food or 'prathal' as it iscalled is still a favourite vazhivadu to the Lord. As the food offered isconsidered as prasad, everyone, from pauper to prince, partakes Nay, the foodis even said to possess curative powers in ailments like stomach-ache, ulcer,etc. There are innumerable instances when sufferer these ailments havegot cured here. In 1965, the pr writerexperienced acute pain in the 'pit' of the stomach particularly when hungry. Healways carried biscuit his pocket to relieve pain at unexpected moments. Gastrointestinal analysis established Duodenal Ulcer as cause of ailment and the doctor advised surgical treatment. Meanwhile, along withtreatment by drugs, the food offered at Vaikom was taken. Today seventeen yearslater there, is no trace of any ulcer or any other ailment in the stomach. 3 The Big Kitchen What is the secret of the popularity of feasts? Once a Maharaja ofTrivandrum invited all the cooks of Vaikom-- traditionally -to cook for a feastat his palace. The ingredients for different dishes were sup; in exactly the sameproportion as at Vaikom. Yetthe taste did not match that which obtained at the temple. An enraged Maharaja questioned the head cook. The chief's replywas: "No doubt all ingredients were supplied and the cooks were also thesame but there was one thing missing-the 'big kitchen' of Vaikom temple. The king understood that the kitchen at Vaikom was blessed byVaikathappan and sent the cooks away with valuable presents. Incidentally, it is the ashes of this kitchen onthe northeast corner of the nalambalam that is served as Vibhuti to devotees visitingthe temple. Even the cutting of vegetables here is an art. It is a task undertakenhereditarily by a group of sixteen Nair families. Once a member of the royal family foundthree or four bunches of big bananas being carried away from the temple store.Suspecting theft, he called the persons. To his surprise they were only peels left intact afterremoving the kernel with dexterity for making chips. The Raja waspleased at their artistic skill and gave them gifts. Oncethe saint Vilwamangalam came to Vaikom for darshan. He could not find Bhagawanin the sanctum. Hetherefore walked around and found him having his meals on the raised platformon the northern side of the Oottupura. None other than Parvati wasserving him. This spot is still hold sacred, called Manyasthanam, where a plantain leaf islaid with all dishes served during feasts and a lamp lit. It is still believed that Parameswarapartakes of the food during the feasts along with the Brahmins. The devotee isoffering prathal circumambulates the temple. After the feast the chief priestopens the closed sanctum and offers prasad. This darshan is caned Anandadarshan. So much for the sanctity of feasts. Vaikom, otherwise quiet place, became an event of considerable social andreligious importance as explained in the Introduction. 4 Origin What are the origin of the deity and the temple VyaghrapuriMahatmya of the Bhargava Purana briefly to the history and divinity of thedeity. Khara, anasura of the Ramayana, attained yogic powers through years of severe penance. At the instance of 'Malyavan' the preceptor of the Asuras, hepropitiated Lord Natarajaat Chidambaram. Moved by his devotion the God granted him severalboons and also threeSivalingas. Khara took hold of the lingas-one in each hand and the third in hismouth and journeyed through the sky southward. On the way he was overcome bythe weight of the objects he carried and hence was constrained to descend andrest for a while. He setthe linga in his right hand at a sacred spot, knee-deep in water.After a while he resumed the journey and tried to remove the linga but it wouldnot move, try as he may, with all his might. At this juncture, Saint Vyaghrapada appeared on scene. Khara waswaiting exactly for this. He entrusted the linga to the care of the saint andproceeded to Ettumanur, 25 kmaway, where he installed the left-hand linga. The one in the mouth was deposited at Kaduthuruthy midway betweenthe two places. Thus the three spots-Vaikom,Kaduthuruthy and Ettumanur-were sanctified simultaneously. It is believed that darsha these places on the same day is highlyauspicious. Vyaghrapada,a great saint in his owns right worshipped the Shivalinga at Vaikom withextreme devotion. Thus in due course the place also acquired his name-'Vyaghrapada puram' or'Vyaghrapuri' and ultimately Vaikom for short. Legendhas it that Siva and Parvati pleased with the devotion of Vyaghrapada gavedarshan to him under a peepal tree to the south of the eastern gateway. Theplace is still marked by a young tree with a raised platform where a lamp islit daily and special pujas are held. It was in the early hours of the morning on Ashtami day, in the darkfortnight of the month of Vrischikam (November December), thatVyaghrapada had the divine vision. This day is celebrated as part of the annualAshtami festival, when, to have early morning darshan of the idol, isconsidered very auspicious. 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