Kumaranalloor is a suburb of
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 ...
city, Kottayam
taluk
A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluka, or taluk) is a local unit of administrative division in some countries of South Asia. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administr ...
,
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 ...
,
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
.
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 ...
city is just 5 km south of Kumaranalloor. The region was administrated by the Kumaranallur grama panchayath till 2010, before the local self-governing body was merged into the Kottayam municipality. The former Panchayath office now exists as the regional administrative office for the municipality. The village is situated on 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 ...
.
History
Kumaranalloor is an ancient cultural center. The Town is famous for Kumaranalloor Devi (Goddess) Temple and during the annual Trikarthika
festival
A festival is an event ordinarily celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect or aspects of that community and its religion or cultures. It is often marked as a local or national holiday, mela, or eid. A festival c ...
of the temple. This place was known as ‘Thingalkkadu', before the temple came into existence. Later the name ‘thingalkkadu' changed and came to be known as ‘Indu Kananam'. In some ancient scripts, the temple is described and known as mahishari kovil (temple).
Kumaranalloor Temple
Kumaranalloor Devi Temple
Kumaranalloor is a suburb of Kottayam city, Kottayam taluk, Kerala, India. Kottayam city is just 5 km south of Kumaranalloor. The region was administrated by the Kumaranallur grama panchayath till 2010, before the local self-governing body ...
is considered as one of the most important Devi temples among the
108 Durgalayas
1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. I ...
(Devi temples) in Kerala. The temple is said to be more than 2400 years old, as per historical and mythological evidences as well as other sources of information. The architecture of the temple is notable for the unique structure of the
nalambalam
Nalambalam is a set of four Hindu temples in Kerala. In Malayalam, ''Nalu'' means "four" and ''Ambalam'' means "temple". These are the temples for the Rama and his brothers of Ramayana. There are around five sets of Nalambalams in Kerala, the ...
and
sreekovil
A ''garbhagriha'' or ''sannidhanam'' is the ''sanctum sanctorum'', the innermost sanctuary of a Hindu and Jain temples where resides the ''murti'' (idol or icon) of the primary deity of the temple. In Jainism, the main deity is known as the '' ...
both of which have been built in the ''sreechakra'' style (ring like object with a handle, which is placed in the right hand of the Devi). This kind of architecture is rarely found in temple architecture. The carnatic krithi 'Sri Kumara Nagaralaye' is a popular kshethrakrithi (composition about the deity of a particular temple) of Maharaja
Swathi Thirunal set in Atana Raga and Adi Thalam, and many legends including
Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer,
M S Subbulakshmi etc. popularized it.
Cheraman Perumal
Cheraman Perumal was the ruling emperor of Kerala when the construction of a temple at Udayanapuram near
Vaikom
Vaikom, , is a municipal town and a capital town of Vaikom Taluk, situated in the northwest of Kottayam district in the state of Kerala, India. The town is also noted for its role in the Indian independence movement for being the venue of Vaikom ...
to install the idol of goddess Durga began; while he commenced the construction of another temple at a place (which is later known as kumaranalloor) to install the idol of lord Kumara or
Subramanian
Subramaniam, Subrahmanyam, Subramanyam or Subramanian ( ta, சுப்பிரமணியம்; te, సుబ్రహ్మణ్యం) is a South Indian male given name. Due to the South Indian tradition of using patronymic surnames it m ...
. Meanwhile, a disturbing incident took place at
Meenakshi
Meenakshi (Sanskrit: ; Tamil: ; sometimes spelled as Minakshi; also known as , and ), is a Hindu goddess and tutelary deity of Madurai who is considered an avatar of the Goddess Parvati also referred to as Durga. She is the divine consort of ...
temple,
Madurai in
Tamil Nadu. The gem-studded nose ring of Devi was stolen or went missing. The king ordered an enquiry. At the same time, he ordered to kill the priest of the temple unless he could solve this problem within 41 days. Because, the nose ring would not be misplaced without his knowledge. However, the priest was innocent. He was confused and perplexed in this dilemma. He took refuge at the feet of Devi.
Forty Days
As days and weeks progressed, the grief-stricken priest spent his days and nights crying and praying. On the night of the 40th day, he slept at the doorsteps of temple, meditating and contemplating his fate that his life would reach an end on the next day. However, he had a dream that night. Devi appeared before him and ordered him to quit the place at once. The perplexed and bewildered priest winked his eyes. He had seen a ''thejas'' (divine light) moving forward. He followed it without being aware of where he was going. The thejas led him a long distance and finally reached the place which latter became known as Kumaranalloor. At Kumaranalloor, the temple was under construction to install the idol of lord Subramanian or kumaran.
Sanctum Sanctorum
The thejas entered into the sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) of the temple. Moreover, it was at the prathista time (suitable time of installation) that the thejas entered the sreekovil. Then there was an asareeri (an incorporeal and divine voice), ‘kumaran alla ooril', meaning, ‘this place is not for kumara'. This is, kumari's or devi's place. Hence it got the name Kumaranalloor. Perumal was disappointed and frustrated. He travelled to Udayanapuram to install the idol of Kumara, at the temple, which was under construction. On the way, Perumal encountered some obstacles but finally managed to reach Udayanapuram and install the idol of Subramanian at the sreekovil of the temple.
Back with the Idol
Later, Perumal returned to Kumaranalloor with the devi's idol and began the preparation for installing it there. Yet another thought struck him that the idol has to be changed. There was an idol lying in water at vedagiri a nearby place. Perumal brought the idol from vedagiri. Maharshi
Parasurama had supposedly made and worshipped the idol in past. At the time of installation, a Brahmin sage with matted hair, came and entered the sreekovil and installed the idol in a second. As soon as the installation of idol was done he vanished. To this date people believe that the Brahmin sage was Maharshi Parasurama. The Brahmin priest, who followed the thejas from Madurai, became the priest of the temple. His residence is known as Madurai
illam. His successors worship the Devi even today.
Architecture
The temple is situated in area of 15,000 square metres. The main gopuram (entrance) of the temple faces towards the east direction, and high walls surrounding the temple with other three gopurams (entrance) in each direction (south, west & north).
While entering the temple, the temple view presents a divine picture. Getting into the temple through the main gopuram one can see the golden dhwajom (flag staff) and the balickal pura with carvings of many sculptures including those of
Ganapathy
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 ...
and
Shiva and other saints on pillars. Inside the nalambalam, sreekovil and the main mandapam are surrounded by paths made of carved stones. The temple of Shiva is on the right side of the main sreekovil.
Bhadrakali temple is situated on the south of the temple along with the full stretched surrounding path on carved stones for the whole temple.
Murals
Murals
A mural is any piece of graphic artwork that is painted or applied directly to a wall, ceiling or other permanent substrate. Mural techniques include fresco, mosaic, graffiti and marouflage.
Word mural in art
The word ''mural'' is a Spanish ...
in Kumaranalloor temple are precious and rare. The outer walls of the
sanctum sanctorum (sreekovil) are decorated with
wall painting of
hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
gods, goddesses, and incidents from great epics
Ramayana and
Mahabharata. Natural colours and medicinal plants were used to colour these
frescos
Fresco (plural ''frescos'' or ''frescoes'') is a technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid ("wet") lime plaster. Water is used as the vehicle for the dry-powder pigment to merge with the plaster, and with the setting of the plaste ...
.
Kumaranalloor Thrikkarthika Utsavam
The important festival of the temple is Thrikkarthika celebrated in the month of Vrischikam (November–December). On the Karthika day it is usual to make a nivedyam (offering) in the precincts of the Udayanapuram and
Thrissur Vadakkunnatha temples. The story goes that the Gods in these two temples, greatly charmed by the beauty of the Devi returning after her Karthika bath. They came out of the temples, got over the compound walls, and stood there looking amorously at the seductive figure of the passing Devi, and the temple priest who ran helterskelter in search of the Gods, finally met them on the walls at the southern end of the temples. Thenceforth, during Karthika, puja is performed over the walls of these temples.
The display of lights in the evening, called Karthika Vilakku, is the highlight of this celebration.
The temple also manages some Educational Institutions which are:
# Devi Vilasam LP School
# Devi Vilasam UP School
# Devi Vilasam High School
# Devi Vilasam Vocational HS School (Specialisation in Medical Laboratory Technology and Computer Application)
# Devi Vilasam Public School (English Medium up to 7th standard)
A Century old History of the School
In the year ME 1081 (AD 1905), the School Inspector (Northern Range) Sri M Raja Raja Verma visited the temple and was honoured. He saw many young
Namboothiri boys who were not educated and offered to establish a special school for them. Sri CN Thuppan Namboothiri, the then Administrator of the temple were entrusted with the task.
As per his instructions and supervision, with 12 students, on the Vidya Arambham day, the school was established. Sri Kumanam K Govinda Pillai, who was present on the occasion, served in the school for 6 months. Sri Kakkanattu Padmanabha Pillai, Thiruvatta Govinda Warrior and such eminent personalities also served in the school.
Within 6 months, Rs 19 was allocated as grant and the balance had to be collected from various sources.
The first Anniversary Meeting was held in the month of Kumbham in ME 1083. School Inspector Sri R Eswara Pillai presided over the meeting and suggested many ideas for the development of the school. But, the school could not function for a long time.
Later when Sri CN Thuppan Namboothiri became the Member of Legislative Council (MLC), based on the memorandum submitted, the school was again reopened with up to 7th Standard. Since the school did not have its own building, after collecting donations from Namboothiri's the present big building was established.
The new school building was inaugurated by the then Diwan of Sri Travancore Mannath Krishnan Nair. Dr. Gill, was a special invitee to the meeting and made a felicitation on the occasion.
There was a boarding facility also for Namboothiri boys from other places. A Government Grant was sanctioned (Rs. 500) for the boarding facilities. The extra money required for the building, was collected through donations.
This school functioned for 4 years. Afterwards, Diwan Raghavaiya visited the school and as per his directions, converted the school into an English medium school.
Due to financial difficulties, the school had to close down again for some time.
Later, as per the directions of Maharaja of Travancore, the school was converted into a Sanskrit school for the development of which people and devaswom started supporting. Later the school had been open to all as an academic school. Sri CN Thuppan Namboothiri was appointed as the Manager (for lifetime) of the school, but later resigned from the post.
The children of this locality started to get the benefit of this school. Moreover, donations were received from many sources, and among them NSS College requires special mentioning.
The (Kumaranalloor Uranma) Devaswom had to spend more than it could actually afford for the noble cause of this school.
Some of the facilities provided in the Schools are:
* Arts and cultural training
* Sports and Games
*
Bharat Scouts and Guides
References
External links
Kumaranallor Devi Suprabhatham
Official Temple websiteOfficial websiteOfficial facebook page{{Kottayam district
Villages in Kottayam district