Mangala Devi KannagiTemple

Mangaladevi Kannagi Temple is an ancient historic temple located in the Idukki District of Kerala bordering Tamil Nadu, about 15 km from Thekkady in Idukki district and 7 km from Pazhiyankudi in Theni district. The temple is built by Chera dynasty at its peak stage, paying honour to Kannagi, who reached historic land of Cheranadu from Madhurai.

The temple is located in dense forest of Periyar tiger reserve in Kerala. Visitors are allowed in the temple premises only on Chitrapournami festival, once in a year. People could reach the destination only through the pass in the forest which is rich in green and visual beauty of the forest. The temple is a blending of various religious sects like Sakthism, Saivism and Sramana religions with basic Dravidian religion. We could see statues and sculptures of Buddha, Tara devi, Bodhisatvas and Mahavira and other Theerthankaras.

Cheran Chenguttuvan, the king of ancient Chera nadu, had erected the temple for Kannagi around 2000 years back at Vannathipara and called it 'Kannagi Kottam' or 'Mangaladevi Kannagi temple' and performed regular pujas.Thousands of devotees throng Kannagi temple The Hindu
/ref> The temple was under the administration of Poonjar royal family and then Tranvancore royal family, till it was taken over by government after independence.

History and Legend

There is no credible evidences as that this temple is in a state of ruin in the middle of a thick forest with no human habitation. S.N. Sadasivan has written a historical book about South India. According to Sadasivan, the temple was destroyed during an attack by the Chola-Marava knights, from Tamil Nadu. In its heyday, the temple is believed to have been associated with a similar Buddhist monastery at Chitral in Kabul. The temple of the same name belongs to Tara, a Buddhist bhikkhu is established in Mangalore. It was established in the 5th century AD. And in Idukki it is in the 6th century. According to Sadashiva, after leading the fall of the Pandya kingdom, Kannaki crossed Western ghats and took refuge in the Buddhist monastery attached to the Mangaladevi temple and lived as a nun. He argues that when read together with the available evidence, this is strong evidence.

There is no credible evidences as that this temple is in a state of ruin in the middle of a thick forest with no human habitation. S.N. Sadasivan has written a historical book about South India. According to Sadasivan, the temple was destroyed during an attack by the Chola-Marava knights, from Tamil Nadu. In its heyday, the temple is believed to have been associated with a similar Buddhist monastery at Chitral in Kabul. The temple of the same name belongs to Tara, a Buddhist bhikkhu is established in Mangalore. It was established in the 5th century AD. And in Idukki it is in the 6th century. According to Sadashiva, after leading the fall of the Pandya kingdom, Kannaki crossed Western ghats and took refuge in the Buddhist monastery attached to the Mangaladevi temple and lived as a nun. He argues that when read together with the available evidence, this is strong evidence.

It is believed that in the 9th century, under the command of the Cholas to attack and destroyed land of Chera dynasty and Ay dynasty, Sambandar, a Shaivite monk from Tamil Nadu, and his marava army captured this temple, killed the monks and then set out to capture the temple at Sabarimala. The Marava attack to ancient Kerala longed about a century, ruined various inscriptions and evidences that were credible for the history of land, culture, language and customs.

References

External links

Thousands of devotees throng Kannagi temple The Hindu

Devi temples in Kerala
Hindu temples in Idukki district

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