Shankaracharya and Mahalakshmi There is a story that Adi Shankaracharya, the main proponent of Advaita Vedanta, also came to the Thirunavaya temple for darshan. It is believed that he was the one who lowered one hand of Mahalakshmi here, which used to be in the Varadamudra (blessings and blessings) in the early days. The story goes like this:
The goddess gave shelter to all those who sought refuge. Thus, poverty disappeared from Thirunavaya. Just then, Shankaracharya, who had come to visit the temple, knelt down to worship in the temple. In the sense that it was the place where the eight idols that had been installed earlier were entombed, no one in the past had ever stepped on the ground with his feet. When some mischievous people saw Shankaracharya doing so, they insulted him by saying, "Why is there a small elephant standing in the temple?" Realizing that this was due to wealth, Shankaracharya immediately meditated on the Goddess and requested her to appear and bend one arm. Thus, one arm of the idol bent. With this, the village of Thirunavaya fell into extreme poverty. But today, this village is on the path of development. Gulf immigration and new technology have awakened the entire village. Many people in nearby houses have gone to the Gulf and achieved a better financial status. Parashurama and Shraddha Long ago, the Trimurti and Devendra decided to perform a yagna at this place. For this, Shiva and Brahma lived on the southern bank of the river, and Vishnu and Devendra lived on the northern bank. Unfortunately, their wives (Gayatri, Saraswati, Lakshmi, Parvati, and Indrani) cursed each other and turned into rivers. With this, the sacrifice was interrupted. Later, Parashurama, who came here to atone for the sin of massacring Kshatriyas, performed a sacrifice on the banks of the river to atone for his sin of murder and to grant salvation to the dead souls, and saw Navamukundan. Then Parashurama built temples for the Trimurti deities to worship here for the Brahmins. It is believed that the Pitru Tarpan and Shraddha rituals at the Trimurti Sangamasthan will be the cause of salvation for the ancestors. Therefore, many people come here every day to perform Pitru Tarpan. Parasurama performed a sacred offering at the holy place on the day of Karkkadakavavu and offered prayers to the souls who had wandered without stopping. It is believed that since then this place has gained great fame for sacrificial offerings. Markandeya and Navamukundan Another story told about the Thirunavaya temple is related to Markandeya, one of the great sages in Hindu mythology. This story is also related to the famous Triprangott Shiva temple, which is located about four kilometers west of Thirunavaya. It is believed that the presence of the current main deity of the Triprangott temple, Mrityunjayamurthy, is related to this story. In addition, the story of the closed door seen behind the sanctum sanctorum in the Thirunavaya temple is also related to this. It is said that Sage Markandeya, a devotee of both Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva, survived his certain death at the age of sixteen by worshipping the idols of both temples. The story goes like this: The first temple in Triprangode was the Karananil temple, located in the northeastern corner of the temple wall today. At that time, the great ascetic Mrigandhu Maharshi and his wife Madruvathi, who lived nearby, were not blessed with children even after a long time after their marriage. Saddened by this, they worshipped Shiva and began to perform penance. After a long period of severe penance, Lord Shiva appeared to them and asked them whether they wanted a son who was useless and would live to be a hundred years old, or a son who was perfect in everything and would live only to be sixteen years old. This question saddened both of them. However, knowing that it was better to have a short life with everything perfect than to have a long life without being useful to anything, they said that the second son was enough. Thus, their son was Markandeya. At a very young age, Markandeya studied the Vedas, Shastras, etc. and became intelligent. Each birthday of their son caused great pain to Mrigandu and Madruvathi. Finally, the sixteenth birthday passed. On hearing the news that Markandeya was nearing the end of his life, Kalan got off the buffalo and set off. At that time, Markandeya was having darshan at the Thirunavaya temple. Suddenly, he saw Kalan coming after him. Seeing this, Markandeya, frightened, entered Sri Lanka and took refuge in Navamukundan. The Lord told him: O Markandeya, only the true Mahadeva can confront Kalan. Therefore, you should take refuge in Mahadeva. There is a way: Go to the nearby temple at Triprang through the western path. I will give you some stones. When you feel that Kalan is approaching, immediately take them and throw them behind you. If you go in this way, you will be able to escape from Kalan. Then the Lord gifted Markandeyan twelve stones. Seeing Kala outside, the Lord immediately made a door behind his Srilakathem (on the western side). Markandeyan ran out through it. Then he closed it. It has not been opened since. Even today, that door can be seen in the Thirunavaya temple. A Nandi idol can also be seen here symbolically. Markandeyan did as Navamukunda told him. When he felt that Kala was approaching, he picked up the stones in his hand and threw them at him. However, all the twelve stones were gone before he reached the temple. Somehow, he ran and finally reached the temple entrance, where a huge pear tree was blocking the way. Realizing that if he took a detour, Kala would be caught, Markandeyan split the tree in half to make way for him. Then, Markandeyan ran to the nearby temple and hugged the Shivalinga there. Seeing this, Kala, enraged, immediately threw a rope at him. Markandeyan and the Shivalinga got caught in it. Kala pulled the rope out of anger. As soon as the Shivalinga was shaken, Lord Shiva actually appeared from the Shivalinga. A great confrontation took place there. Finally, the enraged Lord stabbed Kala to death with his spear. Then, blessing Markandeyan, the Lord blessed him and said that he would always be sixteen years old. Then, he went three feet southwest from his shrine, washed the spear in a nearby pond, and appeared as a Swayambhu at the place where the main shrine is today. Thus, the main Shiva temple at Triprangott came into being. The connection between the Thirunavaya and Triprangott temples does not end here. As well as the presence of Shiva in Thirunavaya, there is also the installation of Navamukundan as the sub-deity at Triprangott. It is believed that this was done by Markandeyan himself. The Tantra authorities at both places are also from the same family. The Kalpuzha Manakars, a famous Tantric family in Kerala, are practicing as Tantris at both places. It is believed that they are descendants of Markandeya. A good number of those who visit Thirunavaya also visit Triprang. Both temples are under the supervision of the Malabar Devaswom Board and are controlled by committees headed by the Zamorin Raja. It is said that the place where this temple stands was once the place where the Vedasala belonging to Thirunavaya Yoga used to exist. It is said that Ayyappa was installed for their worship. In the past, Ayyappa resided in the Vasudevapuram Sree Krishna Swamy Temple in Tavanur, on the other side of the Bharathapuzha river. It is said that it was later shifted here. Like Sabarimala, the main offering here is Neeyabhishekam. In addition, Neerajanam, Ellupayasam, and Neelapattucharthal are also special. Special pujas are held here during the Mandala period. This is where Sabarimala pilgrims garland and tie knots. After worshipping Ayyappa, one can reach the eastern gopuram of Navamukundan. There is a relatively small gopuram here. In front of this, a large Arayal tree can be seen. According to Hindu belief, the sacred Arayal tree resides on top, Vishnu in the middle, and Brahma at the bottom. Thus, it is considered auspicious to circle the Arayal tree seven times every morning, which is considered to be the manifestation of the Trimurti. Beyond this, a single person can be seen. Devotees pay homage to both of them. There is a story that in the old days, if you look east from the Arayalthara here, you could see lamps lit on both sides of the gopurams of the famous Vilvadrinath temple in Thiruvilvamala, which is far away. Once, one of the elders who were in charge of the temple there had a dream and according to it, when he went to Thirunavaya and looked, he could see lamps on both sides and the very next day both the gopurams collapsed. In any case, even today, those who visit the Thiruvilvamala temple pay homage to Navamukundan when they reach the northwest. Near Arayal, you can see the steps leading down to the Bharathapuzha river. The river flows in a very strange way here. That is, although the river flows east-west, a small part of it passes in front of the temple. This is an indication that the current part of the steps must have once been part of the river. This is where the Bali Tharpanam is performed in the temple. Various types of sacrifices are performed here, including the sixteenth day, Shraddha rituals, and Amavasya sacrifice. Thirunavaya has been famous since ancient times as the most special place for ancestral rituals. It is believed that the 'mouth' mentioned in the proverb Illam, Vallam, Nelli, Vaaya is Thirunavaya. Illam, his own home, Vallam, is the Thiruvallam Parasuramaswamy Temple near Thiruvananthapuram, and Nelli is the Thirunelli Mahavishnu Temple near Mananthavady in Wayanad district. There is a similarly spacious altar on the south side of the temple. This is also the best place to enjoy the scenic beauty of the Nila River. It is more convenient here. On the other bank of the river are the Brahma Temple in Tavanur and the Shiva Temple in Cheruthirunavaya. Wall The Thirunavaya temple has a small wall covering an area of only one and a half acres. However, it is protected by a large elephant wall on all four sides. Two small but very attractive gopurams can also be seen on the east and west sides. When you enter through the east gopuram, you first arrive at the large elephant enclosure. This is a fairly large elephant enclosure. About five elephants can be paraded here at a time. Inside the enclosure, there is a copper flagpole carrying the vehicle of the Lord, Garuda, and a large sacrificial stone. The flagpole here is made of teak wood and copper sheets are attached to it. This flagpole is about sixty feet high. It was installed here in 1992. The sacrificial stone in many great temples This is where the sacrifice is made. On the pedestal below this, there are also some very small sacrificial stones. These represent the Lord's sub-commanders. The sacrificial stones are placed in the east, Kumudaksha in the southeast, Pundarika in the south, Vamana in the southwest, Shankhukarna in the west, Sarvanetra in the northwest, Sumukha in the north, and Supratishtha in the northeast. However, they are not offered sacrifices here. Instead, they are given a place in the sacrificial circle outside the temple. They are offered sacrifices there. A very strange structure can be seen in the southeast of the temple. This is known as the Pazukkamandapam. This very old structure is built in such a way that it is impossible to determine whether it is inside or outside the temple, that is, when viewed from the inside, it appears to be inside and when viewed from the outside, it appears to be outside. There is a legend that it was built by Uliyannur Perumthachan. This is also where the Zamorin family used to visit Mamankam. It is currently being preserved as a monument to Mamankam. A winding staircase has been built to climb up here. This is another good place to enjoy the beauty of Bharathapuzha and see the places on the other side of the river. A part of the stone on the southern wall of the temple can be seen where it has fallen off. It is said that this was broken by the branch of the Airavata in the past. It remains like that even today. Some 'ส' shaped shapes could be seen in many parts of the circumambulation path that used to exist here. This was said to be related to the story of Markandeya. There is nothing special to see in the western side of the temple. A long and narrow uttupura can be seen on the north side. In the old days, a sadya would be served here every day. Now it is only on special days. The shrine It is a fairly large two-storey square shrine. Both floors of this shrine, made of black stone, are covered with copper. A golden bowl can be seen on top. There are steps that allow you to go directly inside. The door to the shrine can be seen on both sides. Jayan and Vijayan, the guardians of Mahavishnu, live here as the gatekeepers. The tradition is that the Thantri and the Melshanti can enter the shrine only after ringing the bell hung in front and taking their permission. There are three rooms inside the shrine. The garbhagriha, where the idol is installed, is at the western end. The four-armed idol of Lord Vishnu, which is about four feet tall, is installed facing east. This idol, which has a striking resemblance to the idol in Guruvayur, is also made of Patalanjana stone. However, it is currently covered in Panchaloham. The four-armed Lord holds the Sudarshana Chakra in his right hand behind his back, a conch shell called Panchajanyam in his left hand behind, an upside-down gada called Kaumodaki in his left hand in front, and a lotus in his right hand in front. According to legend, this idol was installed by Karabhajan, the youngest of the Navayogis. It is believed that when other Navayogis installed idols without proper rituals, the idol became firm on the condition that they would give him milk porridge. The large hole seen in front of the idol today is said to be the place where idols were installed earlier. However, it is believed that the current idol is also slowly going underground and that if it is completely destroyed, the world will end. This idol is known by many names, such as Navamukundan, meaning the Lord who resides in Thirunavaya, Navamukundan because it was installed by the Navayogis, and Navamukundan, meaning the ninth idol. However, the name Navamukundan is the most famous. Thus, Sreenavamukundan, invoking the entire original glory of the universe, is present in the sanctum sanctorum. The sanctum sanctorum walls are currently completely plastered. Although there have been plans to paint murals here for many years, nothing has been implemented yet. However, beautiful wooden sculptures have been inscribed here in many parts. Bhootmala, Pakshimala, and Mrigamamala are important among them. Each pillar in the sanctum sanctorum is supported by a separate sculpture. The entire Kiratham story is inscribed on the southern side. When you reach the western side, Shaiva-Vaishnava stories are inscribed together. When you reach the northern side, you can see the Dasavatara forms carved. In addition, the forms of great sages like Thumburu, Narada, Vyasa, Kashyapa, Vasishtha and Garuda are also inscribed at various places. On the upper floor, the forms of Indra are inscribed on the eastern side, Dakshinamurthy on the southern side, Narasimhamurthy on the western side and Brahma on the northern side. A closed door is seen on the western side of the shrine. The presence of Shiva is imagined here. Shiva is worshipped here as the main deity of the famous Triprangot temple located to the west of Thirunavaya. A Nandi idol is also seen here as a symbol of this. Four Temples A four temple is built around the temple. There is only a very limited space inside the temple. However, one can perform the pradakshina without any hindrance. The outer walls of the four temple, made of black stone, are decorated with a lighthouse. There are about eight hundred lamps in the lighthouse built on ten floors. These are lit during the evening Deepa Raodhana. The roof of the four temple is thatched. There are door gates on both sides of the entrance gate. Of these, the southern door gate is where special poojas and homas are performed. The northern door gate is used for musical instruments and chanting. Unlike other temples, there is no namaskara mandapa in front of the temple. It is said that many temples built in the past did not have namaskara mandapa. As is customary, a thidappally has been built inside the four temple on the southeast side. In a specially constructed shrine on the southwest side, an idol of Lord Ganapati can be seen facing east. The concept of Ganapati here is called Adi Ganesha. According to legend, the Ganapati here is the king of Indradyumna who was turned into an elephant due to the curse of Agasthya Muni. Therefore, the concept of the idol here is related to the story of Gajendramoksha. There is a belief among the people of Thirunavaya that Gajendramoksha took place in the lotus pond here. It is said that Gajendra, who was liberated from the curse, was imagined as Ganapati and settled here. The shrine of Ganapati is completely whitewashed. If you notice that the two gatekeepers here are in the form of Ganapati, you will understand. The idol of Ganapati, which is about two feet tall, has its trunk extended to the right, holds an axe in the back right hand, a rope in the back left hand, a modaka in the front left hand, and a varadamudra (blessing seal) in the front right hand. Apart from the daily Ganapati Homam, special offerings here include Ottayappam, Karukamala, and Narangamala. In the north, in a sanctum built almost in line with the Garbhagriha and attached to the Naalambalam, the deity of Mahalakshmi Devi can be seen facing east. It is because of the presence of Mahalakshmi that Navamukundan is considered to be Lakshmi Narayan. The concept here is that the goddess is on the left side of the Lord. The stone idol here is about three feet tall. The idol is in a standing position. It is not a four-armed goddess as is usually seen in pictures. It has only two arms. Both of them are in the Abhaya Mudra (downward mudra). It is believed that initially one of the two hands was in the Varada Mudra and later Shankaracharya made one of them downward. Although Mahalakshmi is considered to be an invisible presence in all Mahavishnu temples in Kerala, and although the goddess is considered to be Mahalakshmi and worshipped in prominent Devi temples like Chottanikkara, this is the only place in a temple where Mahalakshmi is given a special place according to Kerala tradition. The main offerings to Mahalakshmi are pattum and thali charthal, sarkara payasam, Mangalyasukta pushpanjali, Srisukta pushpanjali, Saraswat pushpanjali, and Bhagavatiseva. Navratri is the main annual festival. An inner sacrificial circle has been built around the shrine. Ashtadikpalakar (East - Indra, Southeast - Agni, South - Yama, Southwest - Niriti, West - Varuna, Northwest - Vayu, North - Kubera & Chandra, Northeast - Ishan), Sapta Matrikkal (in a single stone on the south side - Brahmi, Maheshwari, Kaumari, Vaishnavi, Varahi, Indrani, Chamundi in the order from east), Veerabhadra (with Sapta Matrikkal, on the east side), Ganapati (with Sapta Matrikkal, on the west side), Brahma (between northeast and east), Anantha (between southwest and west), Shasta (between south and southwest), Subrahmanya (between northwest and north), Durga (between west and northwest), Sacrificial stones representing Nirmalyadhari (in the form of a Shivalinga between the north and northeast - here Vishwaksena) are seen here. Sacrifices are offered here during the Shivali festival. In addition, since it is a Vishnu temple, another concept called Uttaramatrikkal is also seen here. They are called Uttaramatrikkal because they are placed opposite the Sapta Matrikas located in the south, that is, on the north side. The Uttaramatrikkal are Vageeswari, Kriya, Kirti, Lakshmi, Sristi, Vidya, and Shanti. They are the Vaishnava variant of the Sapta Matrikas, which are the Shaivite deities. Just as the Sapta Matrikas are accompanied by Veerabhadra and Ganapati, they are accompanied by two deities, Sridharan and Aswamukha. They are not represented in the form of sacrificial stones. But they are also offered here. Deities Navamukunda (Mahavishnu) The main deity of the temple. It is mentioned in the ancient Tamil text Divya Prabandha as Narayana with Lakshmi. It is a rare stone idol. But now it is covered with Panchaloham. It is about four feet tall. The idol is in a standing form. The four-armed Lord wears a conch shell, a chakra, a gada, and a lotus. The Lord resides in a square temple with two floors, facing east. On the day of Vishu Sankram, the rays of the rising sun fall on the feet of the Lord Since this is the place where the eight idols that were previously installed were entombed, in the past, devotees who came to visit the temple used to kneel down instead of walking on the ground. The people of that time strictly followed the rule that one should not step on the idol. But today, no one follows this rule. Therefore, darshan is done like in ordinary temples. There is a lot of controversy over the name of the deity here. The main issue is whether it is Navamukunda or Navamukunda. Some say that the Mukunda (Vishnu) installed by the Navayogis is Navamukunda, while others say that the Mukunda who reigns in Thirunavaya is Navamukunda. In any case, the name Navamukunda is famous. Nearby Temples Cheruthirunavaya Brahma-Shiva Temple This temple, located in Cheruthirunavaya near Tavanur on the other bank of the Bharathapuzha river, is the meeting place of the Trimurti in this area. It is one of the 108 Shiva temples of old Kerala. The temple has a small circular shrine. In this dilapidated shrine, the true Lord Shiva reigns, facing east. Brahma also reigns in another small shrine nearby. But due to Shiva's curse, there is no worship or lamp for Brahma. There is a story about the legend of the Navamukunda temple and this temple: Once upon a time, the Trimurti and Devendra decided to perform a sacrifice at this place. For this, Shiva and Brahma stayed on the south bank of the river, and Vishnu and Devendra stayed on the north bank. Unfortunately, their wives (Gayatri, Saraswati, Lakshmi, Parvati, and Indrani) turned into rivers. With this, the sacrifice was interrupted. Later, Parashurama, who came here to atone for the sin of massacring the Kshatriyas, built temples for the Trimurti to worship. It is believed that the ancestral tarpan and Shraddha rituals at the Trimurti Sangamasthan will bring salvation to the ancestors. Therefore, many people come to the temple every day for the ancestral tarpan. Tavanur Vasudevapuram Sree Krishna Swamy Temple Vasudevapuram Sree Krishna Swamy Temple is another temple located in Tavanur itself. The temple is located in the premises of the Kelappaji Memorial Agricultural Knowledge Center in Tavanur in an atmosphere filled with forest beauty. The main deity of the temple is Unnikannan, who holds butter in both hands. Lord Krishna, who faces east, has deities of Shiva, Ganapati, Ayyappa and Naga gods as sub-deities. According to legend, it is believed that the Lord Krishna here was installed by the Supreme Lord Vilvamangalam Swamy. The main annual festivals of the temple are Ashtamirohini in the month of Chingam, Vishu in the month of Medam, and Kucheladinam in the month of Dhanu. Initially, the temple was owned by Maravancherry Mana, but later it came under the ownership of a committee owned by the locals. The temple is still under this committee. History There are many references to Thirunavaya and Navamukunda temples in Malayalam history. Thirunavaya Stone Edicts Mangalasasanam Nammalvar - 11 pashuramas and Thirumangai Alvar - 2 pashuramas have been compiled. The pushkarani here, known as Chenthamara Saras, is full of red lotus flowers. Hence the name of the pushkarani. The aircraft here is known as "Veda Vimana" because it was worshipped by the Vedas, the Navayogis. Pitrutharpanam The Trimurthi Sangamasthan in Thirunavai is most famous for ancestral rites. Annual Shraddha, rituals related to the sixteenth day after death, Tripaksha Pindam (41st day after death), 14-day rituals in Pul, Aasthapanam, Kshetra Pindam, Vavubali, etc. are performed here daily. Many people from all over Kerala come to this holy Sangamasthan for offering offerings and immersion of bones for their deceased ancestors and relatives. The ashes of great souls like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, R. Shankar, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Jayaprakash Narayan, Kelappaji, and K. Karunakaran have been immersed in the Bharathapuzha. Gandhi Memorial The ashes of Mahatma Gandhi are immersed in the Bharatapuzha River. The Gandhi Memorial, built to commemorate the immersion of Gandhi's ashes in the Bharatapuzha River, can be seen as a sign on the way to the Navamukunda Temple. Special days at the temple The Navamukunda Temple in Thirunavaya is a famous temple associated with the Mamanga. Niraputhari The Niraputhari here, which is held every year, is held on the first Sunday after Karkadakawavu. The kathir required for filling is taken from the altar at the eastern gopura gate and placed on the head, and the temple is entered by circumambulating the Melsanthi Chutambalam. The nelkathir is brought to the door of the temple by circumambulating the sanctum sanctorum and the sub-devas and the kathir pooja is performed. After that, the kathir is taken to Sri Lanka for Melsanthi puja and offered to the Lord. Later, Putharipayayasam is offered to Navamukundan. The poojated nirakathirs are distributed to the devotees. Karkidakam Amavasi Since the Karkidakam Amavasi day is considered as the father's day, the father's deeds are given utmost importance on that day. The Karukavavu in Karkidakam marks the beginning of the Dakshinayana. Dakshinayana is the path of the ancestors. That is why it is believed that if the ancestors are sacrificed on that day, they will attain good fortune. The new moon day of the month of Libra-Kumbha and the new moon day of Vaishakh are given great importance here. K Rajaram IRS 29525 On Thu, 29 May 2025 at 14:31, 'gopala krishnan' via Thatha_Patty < [email protected]> wrote: > *BRAHMA AND SIVA TEMPLES AT TIRUUNAVAYA, MALAPPURAM DISTRICT- KERALA- > COMPILED* > > Dear friends, > > Today my posting is about the Siva and Brahma temples on the opposite side > of Nava Mukunda temple which we have to reach by crossing the Bharatha > Puzha River, *in ferry. The bridge is under construction only*. > > Though the concept is one has to worship all the three temples at > Tirunavaya, some devotees leave after worshipping in the Nava Mukunda > temple itself. > > Hope a divine reading. > > Gopalakrishnan 29-5-2025. > > BRAHMA TEMPLE AT TIRUNAVAYA –THAVANUR > > The Brahma Temple at Tirunavaya is situated on the banks of the > Bharathapuzha River, alongside the Navamukunda (Vishnu) and Shiva temples, > forming a sacred trinity of deities. > > The Navamukundan Vishnu temple is on the (northern) bank of the > Bharathapuzha, while the Brahma and Siva temples are on the (southern) > bank, in Tavanur (Thavanoor) village. > > *This temple is a rare site where Brahma is actively worshipped*, and it > holds significance as a venue for performing *rituals for the deceased, > especially during the Karkidaka Vavu (July). * > > Key Features and Significance: > > Location: > > Tirunavaya, Malappuram district, Kerala, on the southern bank of the > Bharathapuzha River. > > Trimurti: > > The temple complex includes temples dedicated to Brahma, Vishnu > (Navamukunda), and Shiva, representing the Hindu trinity of creation, > preservation, and destruction. > > Mamankam Festival: > > Tirunavaya was the venue for the Mamankam, a historical festival held > every 12 years, and the temple was a focal point for the event. > > Bali Tharpana: > > The riverbank near the temple is considered a sacred place for performing > "bali tarpana" rituals, where devotees offer prayers for the souls of their > ancestors. > > Brahma Worship: > > *The Brahma temple is notable for being one of the few places where Lord > Brahma is actively worshipped, particularly during festivals like Karkidaka > Vavu.* > > Historical Importance: > > The temple and its surroundings are rich in historical significance, with > various landmarks associated with the Mamankam festival. > > *Thirunavaya represents a convergence of the Trimurtis: Brahma, Vishnu, > Siva*. There are three temples here, dedicated to the worship of these > divine personalities, therefore the place is considered to be equal to > Varanasi. > > Legend > > The Brahma Temple here was consecrated by Lord Parasurama, who brought and > settled the Brahmins here. *Parasurama himself is considered to be a > "Brahma-Kshatriya", or one who perfectly balances the duties of both > Brahmana and Kshatriya. For this reason, Brahmadeva is said to be > Parasurama's guru, and having executed a great yajna here in Tavanur, > Parasurama dedicated a temple to his guru, Lord Brahma.* > > Introduction > > Tavanur has three mahakshetras (major temples) – one each *to Krishna, > Brahma and Shiva*. The Brahma and Shiva temples are more than 1300 years > old. All these three temples are built on the southern bank of Bharatapuzha > river. > > *There is a huge temple dedicated to Vishnu (contemporaneous to latter two > temples) on the northern bank of the river – opposite to the Shiva temple*. > Across the river from Tavanur is Thirunavaya – considered as Kashi of > Kerala – where Hindus come to do Pinda pradaana for their deceased > ancestors. > > While Thirunavaya Vishnu temple (called Nava Mukunda temple) is quite > popular, the other temples on the opposite banks are less known and have > much lesser visitors. > > Deity > > The Brahma temple of Tavanur houses a beautiful murti of Brahma *holding > sruk, sruva, vedas and kamandala. Sruk and Sruva are ladles used to do > yajna.* > > Prajapati Brahma is closely associated with yajna. This is perhaps the > only individual temple dedicated to Lord Brahma in entire state of Kerala. > > *There are no other murtis in this temple*. After desecration by Tipu, > the temple remained in a dilapidated state till last decade. Locals claim > that they suffered from sudden outbursts of diseases every few years – > which was attributed to the anger of Brahma whose temple was left in a > dilapidated state. > > About a decade ago, locals started rebuilding the temple and a pujari has > been appointed to do nitya puja to Brahma. > > They claim that there has been no such outbreak of diseases since then. > The temple is in final stages of reconstruction. > > Importance > > Hindu students of the locality have also taken to worshipping Brahma > sincerely – as *he is the husband of Sarasvati and thus, seen as Lord of > knowledge.* > > TAVANUR SHIVA TEMPLE: > > Introduction > > This is the main temple of Tavanur. The village is named after the Lord > here. It is believed that Lord Shiva is doing tapasya here. *Tapasya is > known as ‘tavam’ in Malayalam. Thus, the place where Lord Shiva does > tapasya has come to be known as Tavanur* (place of tapasya). > > Unlike the other two temples, this temple has always been under worship > even after Tipu’s desecration. The vandalised temple was rebuilt and > worship was restarted by the end of 18th century itself. > > This temple of Shiva houses a small Shivalingam and sits in a serene > neighbourhood right on the banks of the river – a devotee can access the > river from the temple. No wonder that the Lord of destruction has chosen > this place as His place for peaceful meditation. The serenity of its > location is enhanced by presence of a vedapathashala nearby. > > Near the Siva Temple sits the famous Vedic Vidyalaya Othanmar Madom, a > famous school of Sanskrit and Vedic education associated with Parasurama's > colony of Brahmins. > > *At Thirunavaya, the Bharathapuzha (also known as the Nila) makes a > distinct loop northward*, and there are a number of important sites here > on both sides of the river. > > Legends say that the Vilwamangala Swamiyar, who wrote Krishna Karnamruta, > was born in the Namboodiri Brahmin family of Vella Mana in Tavanur His > ancestral house, Vella Illam, was on the southern banks of Bharatapuzha > river – remains of the house’s foundations can be seen there even today – > within the campus of Kelappaji College of Agricultural Engineering and > Technology (KCAET), Tavanur. > > Legend > > It is said that the sage Markandeya once escaped from Yama and came here > to Navamukundan for shelter. The Lord opened His backdoor and instructed > Markandeya to run to Siva, across the riverbank, as only he could save him. > > Vedapata sala > > The Thirunavaya Vedapathashala, famous for teaching Rg Veda, is near this > temple. This pathashala is also well known for preserving some of the > rarest oral traditions of Rig Veda samhita, otherwise not so popular > elsewhere. The pathashala is centuries old – since before Tipu’s invasions. > Every year, at Sree Ramaswamy temple in Kadavallur of Thrissur district, a > competition – called *Kadavallur Anyonyam* – is held between two > vedapathashala (Thirunavaya pathashala and Brahmaswom Madhom of Thrissur) > for 8 days. The more esoteric recitation styles are tested at this > competition. > > Bali tharpana > > Near the temple, there is also a place where people can perform rituals > for the dead which is called bali in malayalam and is considered to be a > very sacred place as it is the confluence of the Trimurti. *While > performing the rituals, the priest will mention to worship the trinity by > turning towards their respective temples.* The priest is actually > pointing at the Shiva Temple and Brahma temple actually located at > Thavanur on the opposite bank of the river Bharathapuzha. > > Deity > > The temple is one among the 108 Shiva Temples. This temple is at a > walking distance from the Brahma Temple. > > Location > > The locations of the three temples actually form a triangle but there is > no direct road connecting all the three temples together. > > From the Shiva Temple, you can walk to the Brahma Temple . The road > distance between Thavanur and Tirunavaya is 14 kilometers and the > construction has begun for a direct bridge connecting the two villages > which will cut short the distance to just *2 kilometers* making it easier > for pilgrims to cover all the three temples. > > Specialty > > Like several other locations we've covered in this series, Thirunavaya > represents a convergence of the Trimurtis: Brahma, Visnu, Siva. There are > three temples here, dedicated to the worship of these divine personalities, > therefore > the place is considered to be equal to Varnasi. > > -- > 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 visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/286766483.1877743.1748509271588%40mail.yahoo.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/286766483.1877743.1748509271588%40mail.yahoo.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > -- 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 visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/CAL5XZooEpZ_gY%3DU5As10AJR9qbR5L4yPrKeStspsmy3AC4VwEA%40mail.gmail.com.
