Kidangoor Subramanya Swami Temple is an ancient

Hindu temple A Hindu temple, or ''mandir'' or ''koil'' in Indian languages, is a house, seat and body of divinity for Hindus. It is a structure designed to bring human beings and gods together through worship, sacrifice, and devotion.; Quote: "The Hind ...

located in Kidangoor near Ayarkkunnam in

Kottayam Kottayam () is a municipal town in the Indian state of Kerala. Flanked by the Western Ghats on the east and the Vembanad Lake and paddy fields of Kuttanad on the west. It is the district headquarters of Kottayam district, located in south-we ...

district in the Indian state of

Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...

. It is one of the renowned Subramanya temples in Kerala which is estimated to be at least 1500 years old.

Location

The temple is located on

Manarcaud Manarcad (pronounced Ma - nar- cad) is a small town in Kottayam district of Kerala state, South India. It is known for the Manarcad Perunnal, the annual feast at the St. Mary's Church, which is usually held from September 1-8 (during the 8-D ...

- Kidangoor state highway, near the banks of

Meenachil river The Meenachil River or Meenachilaar (Malayalam: ), also known as Kavanar, Valanjar, is a river in Kerala. It is one of the most treacherous rivers in Kerala due to its flash floods, heavy undercurrents and woods and debris it carries from the m ...

. It is about 2 km from Kidangoor and 5 km from Ayarkunnam.

Deity

Lord Subramanya presides here by the name 'Thrikkidangoorappan'. He is also known as 'Parighapuresan' because Kidangoor have an alternate name 'Parighapuram'.

Legend

Kidangoor is one among the 64

Nambudiri The Nambudiri (), also transliterated as Nampoothiri, Nambūdiri, Namboodiri, Nampoothiri, and Nampūtiri, are a Malayali Brahmin caste, native to what is now the state of Kerala, India, where they constituted part of the traditional feudal el ...

villages and was on the boundary of the Vadakkumkur and

Thekkumkur The Kingdom of Thekkumkur ( ml, തെക്കുംകൂർ രാജ്യം) (also transliterated as ''Thekkumkoor'' or ''Thekkumcore'') was an independent kingdom in the southern part of Kerala in India from 1103 CE until 1750 CE.P. Shung ...

kingdoms. The legend has it that the idol of Subramanya came out of the

Kamandalu Kamandalu (Sanskrit: कमण्डलु, ) or kamandal or kamandalam is an oblong water pot, originating from the Indian subcontinent, made of a dry gourd (pumpkin) or coconut shell, metal, wood of the Kamandalataru tree, or from clay, usually ...

(an oblong pot) of sage Gauna when the water flowed out. The idol flawed along with the water and it reached the

Vishnu Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism. Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" within t ...

shrine in Kidangoor.

sub temple deities

*Bhagavathi: (

Bhuvaneswari Bhuvaneshvari (Sanskrit: भुवनेश्वरी, IAST: ''Bhuvaneśvarī'') is a Hindu goddess. She is the fourth amongst the ten Mahavidya goddesses in Shaktism, and one of the highest aspects of ''Mahadevi''. She is identified as Adi Par ...

) faces south. Pushpanjaly, Raktha Pushpanjaly, Guruthi, Vara nivedyam, Kadumpayasam and Vella Nivedyam are the main offerings to Devi. *Sastha:

Sastha Shasta ( IAST Śāstā) is a Hindu deity of Dravidian origin, usually associated with Shiva and Vishnu. In Hindu mythology, Shasta is considered to be another name of Ayyappan, described as the offspring of Shiva and Mohini. His principal ...

s shrine is placed in the southwest corner. Pushpanjaly, Neivilakku, Neeranjanam, Vella Nivedyam, Ellupayasam, Muzhukkappu and Thirumugam are the important offerings. *Vishnu:

Lord Vishnu Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism. Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" within t ...

has equal importance in the temple. He presides here by the name 'Vadakkumthevar' and the shrine is placed to the north of Subramanya sanctum. It is believed to be older than the Subramanya temple. *Ganapathi:

Ganapathi Ganesha ( sa, गणेश, ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in Ganapatya sect. His image is found throughout India. Hindu d ...

, the first-worshipped God in Hinduism, is installed in a separate temple on the south-west side of the temple, facing east. This temple is a sub-temple of Kidangoor Temple, though constructed very recently in 1995.

Festivals

The temple hosts its annual festival in the

Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 22 scheduled languages of India. Malayalam was des ...

month of Kumbham (i.e. February/March) which lasts 10 long days. As in many temples in Kerala, the festivities start-off with the ceremonial flag hosting (''Kodiyettu'') on the Karthika day. The Aarattu (holy bathing) is held at Chembilavu Ponkunnathu Mahadeva temple on the banks of Meenachil river. Lord

Shiva Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...

who presides at this temple is considered as the father of Thrikkidangoorappan. ' Thaipooyam' in the month of Makaram and 'Skanda Shashti' are the other important festive occasions. Pilgrims from different regions comes here to perform the sacred ''Shashtivrata'' on the 6th day of Amavasya.

Offerings

Utsavabali, Tulabharam, Kavadi, Chuttu Vilakku, Udayasthamana pooja, Muzhukappu, Panchamrita abhishekam, Pantheerazhi, Kadumpayasam are some of the important offerings.

Image Gallery

File:Kidangoor Subramanya Temple 01.jpg, Kidangoor Subramanya Temple File:Kidangoor Subramanya Temple anappanthal.jpg, Kidangoor Subramanya Temple anappanthal File:Kidangoor Subramanya Temple art work.jpg, Kidangoor Subramanya Temple art work File:Kidangoor Subramanya Temple bhalikkallu.jpg, Kidangoor Subramanya Temple bhalikkallu File:Kidangoor Subramanya Temple front side flag post.jpg, Kidangoor Subramanya Temple front side flag post File:Kidangoor Subramanya Temple koothambalam.jpg, Kidangoor Subramanya Temple koothambalam File:Kidangoor Subramanya Temple pillar made of Sida plant.jpg, Kidangoor Subramanya Temple pillar made of Sida plant File:Kidangoor Subramanya Temple side view.jpg, Kidangoor Subramanya Temple side view

References

{{Reflist Murugan temples in Kerala Hindu temples in Kottayam district ml:കിടങ്ങൂർ ഗ്രാമപഞ്ചായത്ത്