SREEMADIYAN KOOLOM TEMPLE, KANHANGAD , KASARGODE DISTRICT ,KERALA Introduction
Sree Madiyan Koolom Temple is located near Kanhangad in theKasargode district of Kerala .It is one of the most prominent Hindu temples inKasargod district, and is some 500 years old. It is dedicated to deityKshetrapalakan Eswaran, the mother Goddess known as Kalarathri Amma(Bhadrakali). One of the oldest temples in North Kerala, Shri Madiyan Kulamis the headquarters of the AlladaSwaroopam Mookatham Nadu. The temple is known for its centuries-old woodencarvings and its epic poems. The poems portray the unity of different religions and castes.A peculiarity of this temple is that a Brahmin priest performs pooja only at noon, while the morningand evening poojas are performed by a sect called Maniyanis. Elephants are not permitted inside the temple Legend and Etymology Kshethrapalakan Eeshwaran is the main deity. Udinur Kovilakamis the head of Alladadesham, which stretches from Chittari to Olavara. Legendstates that Kshethrapalakan decided to 'sit' when he found his niche, once hereached Madiyan on his journey from Udinur along with Vairajathan. He was attracted by the smell ofthe Appam (which is still an offering in the 'Kooloth Appam temple')that was being prepared for Nadayil Bhagavathi, the main deity of Koolom at thetime. Seeing this Sasthaand other disciples who were accompanying him called Thampuran Madiya,which means lazy in Malayalam and which later came to be known as MadiyanKshethra palakan. Thampuran or Kshethrapalakan later sat on the lap ofKaalarathriamma, a goddess who was in her 'furious form' and enjoyed a Mother'slove and affection, eventually positioning himself facing towards the west ofthe temple. Another popular beliefis that the word Madiyan originated from the fact that he sat on the lap (Madi inMalayalam) of Kalarathriyamma. It was also an end to the Shaktheyapuja that was performed there before. History The origins of the Sri Madiyan Kovilakam are found indevotional stories. It is also famous for a temple that had an entry for lower caste peopleeven before the Temple Entry Proclamation in Kerala. Eshwaran is the main deity, a symbol of religious unity. ThePaattu festival in the month of Dhanu and Kalasham festival in Edavam are heldtogether with unity and harmony, irrespective of castes. The temple exists as a link for Hindu-Muslim unity in the region. The devotion of theMuslims in this area and their respect for other religions was why the sitewhere an Athiyal temple was located was allowed to become thesite of the first mosque. The friendship between Muslims and Hindus isvisible during the rituals. The Kshethrapalakan came to the earth under the command ofMahadeva to conquer Allada swaroopam, a town stretching from Chittari River in the north to the"Olavara" River in the south. It was customary for the kings to name their countrySwaroopam in those times. The region was ruled by an evil andruthless lord known as Allohalan. At this time, Kerala Varma, son ofKolathiri, fell in love with Pankipillayathiri Thamburatti of NediyirippuSwaroopam. In the ensuing protests, they both married. They had a desire to have their owncountry for their children. So they decided to conquer Allohalan'skingdom. Kerala Verma opened the fortress and owned it. Kerala Varma later worshipped Kshethrapalakan andKalarathri, who helped him in his conquest. But most of the peoplearound him were the people loyal to Allohalan. For this reason, "MoolcharyNairachan" was appointed in the temple, and he built a palace in Nileshwaram and continued rulingfrom there along with the queen. Earlier, outer Kalasham was held during the 2nd of Edavam toworship Nadayil Bagavathi by performing Theyyam, apart from Kshethrapalakan andKaalarathriamma. It is believed to be complete only if all the country'sinhabitants join it, a belief that continues today. Madiyan Koolom still existsas the headquarters of the Alladanadu. Architecture The temple covers six 2.4 hectares (6 acres). Half of the area consists ofmonuments built in traditional Kerala-style. The temple is famous for itssculptures and wooden carvings, depicting ancient stories from Ramayana andother epics. Most of the carvings are found in Thekkini, western Gopuram andthe Mandapa near the pond. The Thekkini Mandapam near the temple kitchen hasthe etchings of Dakshayagam, Seetha swayamvaram and the Vanayathra of Rama andLakshmana. All the wooden etchings in this temple portion are partiallydestroyed due to continuous exposure to smoke from the kitchen. Similarly, thewooden carvings of 12 Raashis and Navagraha devatas in the Gopuram pond havebeen destroyed by painting them silver. The western gopuram shows instances of Amruthamadhanam,Kaliyamardhanam and Ananthashayanam. The etchings depicting the churning of theocean look extraordinarily beautiful. The carvings include erotic woodenetchings similar to those of the Khajuraho temple in Madhya Pradesh.Depiction of mythical characters include 'elephants with wings'. The use and combination ofnatural colors obtained from unique plants and trees enhance the aesthetics. Amural painting of the Narasimha avatar of Vishnu is another attraction. The temple houses twoponds. A small sculptureof a 'bowing' elephant is near the entrance, which is believed to curse anyelephant about to enter the temple, as elephants are not permitted inside. Asculpture of a snake in one of the ponds is believed to be a curse as legendhas it that the snake was sent to spew venom in the pond. Deities and Order ofDarshan The temple follows a particular order to offer prayers orhaving darshan. Naagam, Perattur Baghavathi, MaanjaliAmma KshethrapalakanEeshwaran, Kaalarathriamma Dedicated to the main deity 'Kshetrapalakan' and KalarathriAmma (Bhadrakali), this is one of the most prominent Hindu temples in thedistrict. Along with Bhadrakali, there are saptamatruka and ganesh idols. Poojas Daily pujas at Madayi Kulam Temple (Madayi Kavu) include UshaPooja at 6:00 AM, Uchcha Pooja at 11:30 AM, and Sandhya Pooja at 5:30 PM. The temple is open from 5:30 AM to 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM to7:45 PM, and other pujas like Shatru Samhara Pooja are also performed. Other daily poojas Shatru Samhara Pooja: Performed around 12:30 PM to 1:00 PM. Saktheya pujas: Performed by the Pradanmar (Brahmins) Offerings Flowers and coconuts. Theyyams KshethrapalakanEeshwaran Kalarathri Amma Nadayil BhagavathiTheyyam Manavalan &Manavatty Theyyam Manjaliamma Theyyam Festivals The temple celebratesseveral festivals, including the Pattu Utsavam in the Malayalam month of Dhanu(January), which features a special ritual called Kalam Pattu, and the KalashamFestival in the Malayalam month of Edavam (May-June), highlighting the Theyyamdance form. These festivals are celebrated with unity and harmony,irrespective of castes, symbolizing the temple's role as a link forHindu-Muslim unity in the region. Special Features The temple covers 6 acres, featuring traditional Kerala-stylearchitecture. Famous for intricate wooden carvings depicting ancient epicslike the Ramayana and Dakshayagam. Wooden etchings of the 12 Raashis and Navagraha devatas, andcarvings of the “churning of the ocean” are some of the temple’s artistichighlights. The western gopuram showcases depictions of Amruthamadhanam,Kaliyamardhanam, and Ananthashayanam. The temple houses two ponds and features a small sculpture ofa bowing elephant and a snake, each linked to temple legends. A notable mural painting of Lord Vishnu’s Narasimha avatar isanother attraction. Managed By Malabar Devaswom Board. Location Nearest Bus Station-Kanhangad Nearest Railway Station-Kanhangad Nearest Airport-Kannur Address: Shri Madiyan Koolom Temple, Madiyan, Kanhangad, Kerala671316Phone: 0467 226 8477 Temple timings . The temple is open from 5.30 am to 1.00 pm and again from5.00 pm to 8.00 pm. My note- It is the firstcompilation about the North most Kasargod District temple. Aspects interestingto iyer group only are compiled. Gopalakrishnan 24-10-2025 -- 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/818748257.57240.1761275939118%40mail.yahoo.com.
