CHAKKULATHU KAVU DEVI TEMPLE 2 Dear friends,
This is the2nd part of my divine posting about Chakkulathu Kavu Devi templenear Tiruvalla in Kerala. I was bornin Tiruvalla, while my father was working there. In a few months my father gottransferred to Pandalam, which I quote as my home. I had beento Tiruvalla many times on inspections with my colleague Sankaranarayanan while working in Trivandrum. During 2002 inspection, he suggested to me-Sir, I am going to retire this year, so we should make it a point to visitChakkulathukavu temple. Hiring a taxi we both went to temple in an evening forworship. Later I visited with family members on a trip from Trivandrum withfamily members hiring a Taxi.The information in the two parts are compiled from temple website, Sincerely, GopalaKrishnan 28-09-09 Reposted on 22-2-2022 after editing and updating information. (Continued from part1) 9 Major festivals 9.1 Pongala This is thephenomenally renowned festival that takes place in the temple during the monthof ‘Vrischikam’ (November/December). This is the time when the glory of theGoddess is at its peak. Lakhs of women devotees gather around the temple as early as one or two days before the function. The templepremises will be overcrowded and the devotees arrange place for offering thePongal on both sides of the mains streets. The queue usually extends to asurprising length of 20 km. ChakkulathuKavu pongala is 2nd or equal to famous Attukal Pongala at Trivandrum. Rice,coconut and jaggery are bought by women devotees along with round earthen potsfor cooking. The Chief Priest lights the main hearth from the divine fireinside the sanctum sanctorum. This fire is exchanged from one over to another.Every year at the time of lighting the main hearth an eagle is found to circlefar above the sky. This is an unfailing blessing of the Goddess. The sight ofthe bird drives the devotees into an inexplicable feeling of ecstasy. Theyutter the divine names of the mother and the atmosphere echoes and reverberateswith a thousand names of the Goddess. It isbelieved that the Goddess herself offers her august presence near each Pongalahearth as the cooking is done. Several are the instances where the grief,problems, and confusions of the devotees are washed away through the Pongalaoffering. The Pongala festival in this temple is one of the foremost rituals 9.2. Naree Pooja Hindutradition had always bestowed reverence and acceptance to Indian womanhood. Itoften reminded humanity that a woman who is respected is the cause forprosperity whereas a woman is dishonoured is exactly like fire and canannihilate everything. We had even women who rose themselves to the pinnacle ofspirituality and gave new dimensions to our culture like Maitreyi and Gargi. Rig Vedashows us how Indra was all praise for his wife Indrani who he believed as thebasis of his prosperities. We again have the brilliant scene of Lord Shivaseating his wife Parvathy in the diamond-decked throne in the evening beforestarting the dance. We may also remember the famous saying. “YethraNaryasthu Poojayante Remanthathathra Devatha” Whereverwomen are adored the Gods get pleased. Chakkulathu kavu temple has absorbedthis glowing concept and introduced avery appealing ceremony “The Naree Pooja”. Women are seated on speciallyarranged seats. Their feet are respectfully washed. This is an indirectexpression of the divine Mother. Thousands of women are invited to take part inthis function. Innumerable devotees stand as witness to this rare ritual that proclaims the potency and glory ofthe divine Mother. 9.3.The First Friday The firstFriday of every Malayalam month marks a spiritually significant day for theTemple. Devotees who observe rigorousfasting and reach the shrine on this day. The number of persons who gatherthemselves to have a visit of the Mother on this day are literally countless.Special spiritual functions are also conducted on this day. The small idol ofthe God, which is usually placed inside the sanctum sanctorum beside the mainidol, is carried in procession and brought to the specially arranged place forprayer. Celibacy isa must during the day of fasting. The devotee should unfailingly abstainhimself from non-vegetarian food, liquors and the like. They should have theirbath in the morning as well as in the evening. Sick people can take exemption according to circumstances. Bothmale and female membersirrespective of age can observe the fasting observing the fast. Those women who are regularlyobserving the fast on every Friday need not think of the fasting has broken dueto menses periods. Such Fridays should not be taken as a day offasting for completion of any desired number of Fridays. Those persons whoobserve the fasting only for one or twoFridays of every month should observethe fasting exactly on those periodic Fridays on the succeeding month ofregular order. Mental purity and unpolluted devotion should be developed.Births or deaths in the family shouldbe deemed as breaking the fasting. In such cases fasting must be again begunfrom the beginning. 9.3 a Oathbefore Devi –Liquor addicts get averted A remarkablefeat of the first Friday is the pledge that some devotees take against thehabit of intoxication. Thousands of devotees who have found it difficult toliberate them selves from the clutches of alcohol reach the temple on the firstFriday. They have come with and ardent decision to brush away their bad habits.They touch the divine sword of the Goddess. The chiefpriest recites the oath of abstention from liquors. They repeat the prayers. The Cardinal messageof this prayers sums up that they will abstain themselves from the use ofliquors and drugs and that they will utilize their lives for the well being oftheir family and society. Manyfamilies have been saved by this prayer. The pledge against intoxication infront of the Mother goddess is perhapsthe one and the only form of its kind in the whole temples in India. Wonderfulresults are recorded in the temple about having cured many persons. The Goddess surprisingly works when men andmedicine fail. 9.3 b Oushatha vellam (Medicated water) During thefirst Friday the devotees receive a unique type of medicine water famouslyknown as “Oushadha Vellam”. Drinking ofthis water is proved to heal all types of ailments. A long queue of devotees isseen waiting to receive the medicated water. This water with a number ofAyurvedic herbs and roots, which have proved results of healing and softeningthe human body, is taken inside the sanctum Sanctorum. Special Poojas andmantras are performed. The water gains superhuman powers through the blessingsof the Goddess. The divinemedicated water that is supplied during the first Friday is aocular proof of concept. How many are the pilgrims who have been saved fromtheir problems and despairs through a faithful use of ‘Oushadha Vellam’! Participationin these factions and visit to the Goddess are sure to bestow all prosperitieslike dutiful Children, supreme knowledge, rightful marriage, robust health, andannihilation of cruel enemies and like. 9.4.Thrikkarthika Thrikkarthikathat falls on the Malayalam month of Vrischika is an important day of theTemple. This day became famous after a surprising incident that took place in1851. A Friday of1981.3.30 AM in the early morning. Some devotees had gathered to have the“Nirmalya Darsanam”. Everyone was amazed to see rings of perfumed smoke allaround. Rare glow of light was seen in front of the temple. Nobody coulddiscern what was happening. As the priest opened the temple, everyone was spellbound. All the lamps insidewere alive with a unique touch of brilliance. Spiritualconsultation (Prasna) was done about this peculiar phenomenon. It way understood that this day was speciallyliked by the Goddess and that her powers were at its peak. The Thrikkarthikaday thus turned out to be very auspicious for worshipping Chakkulathamma. On thisday there are special rituals likeDivyabhishekam, Pongala, Kindling the Karthika Pillar, Lakhadeepam and Athazhapooja. Lakhs of pilgrims reach the temple on this day. 9.4a Divyabhishekam Divyabhishekamis a ritual, which is perhaps singularly peculiar to this temple performed on Karthika day. The idol is coated with oil. Milk, Tendercoconut, rose water, tamarind andKumkum are then poured over the idol. The main doors are closed forDeeparadhana. The idol is decorated. The doors are opened to serve as aheavenly sight for the multitude. It is believed that anyone who witnesses thisritual is liberated from the evils and bondages of life. 9.4 b TheKarthikaPillar A tall arecanut tree is erected for this purpose. Plantain, straw and similar items arewound over the pillar. Thispillar is symbolic of all evils.As dawn blooms, the Goddess is respectfully invoked and seated east wise in front of the temple.The pillar is given fire now. Wildflames seem to reach the sky. Finally the flames subside. The principle is that all thebadness is given to flames thereby paving way for all goodness to emerge. 9.4.c. Laksha deepam Immediatelyafter the burning of the pillar, anumber of gentle flames are made alivefrom the small clay dishes arranged all around. This is the Lakhadeepam or lakh of flames.People kindles the small clay dishes ,which contain oil and cotton thread. It is a sight of sights to see the wholetemple surroundings immersed and illuminated by active flames. This ritual is a symbolicmoral that goodness ultimately dominates badness. The goddess is then invokedback to the temple. Deeparadhana isthen performed. 9.5.Kalamezhuthu This ritualhas both the influence as well as tremendous mental sense of awakening. Thedivine of the goddess is drawn in an elaborate size using differently colouredpowders. 9.6.NiraparaAll theprosperities of this universe are a blessing that comes from the mother. Natureis one with the Goddess and whatever we receive is Her boon. Everything prosperthrough her silent sanction. This belief prompts the devotees to offer helpful of paddy in the ‘Para’or rational vessel to the temple9.7 . Panthrendu Noyambu From the first of Dhanu to the twelfth ofMalayalam month the devotees observe the “Panthrandu Noyambu”. This is proved tobless the pilgrims with infinite comforts. 10. Sppecial Vazhipad and charges I havelisted below a a few special vazhipad and it’s charges. Others may be obtainedfrom the temple 1.MrithyunjayaPooja 50.00 2.PithruPooja 500-00 3.ShatruSamhara Pooja 100.00 4.NoorumPaalum 100.00 5Manjaneerattu 2001.00 6.KalabhaAbhishekham 7001.00 7 KumkumaAbhishekham 7001.00 8 Pithru Sakthi Pooja 650.00 Devotees may kindly note- Noorum Palum is performedin the temple and rare vazhipadu of Pithru pooja and pithru sakthi pooja arealso performed in the temple. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/1100367911.561775.1645491347252%40mail.yahoo.com.
