Ammachiveedu Muhurthi is a

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 ...

temple located in the

Kollam district Kollam district (), (formerly Quilon district) is one of 14 districts of the state of Kerala, India. The district has a cross-section of Kerala's natural attributes; it is endowed with a long coastline, a major Laccadive Sea seaport and an i ...

of the 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 Ca ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...

. It is estimated to be around 600 years old, and holds an annual 10-day celebration during the Dhanu festival.

History

Although there are no historical records of the early history of the temple, it is thought to have been founded around 600 years ago by the Ammachi Veedu family ("Ammachi Veedu" means "Ammachi home"), aristocrats from

Kollam Kollam (), also known by its former name Quilon , is an ancient seaport and city on the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea, which is a part of the Arabian Sea. It is north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. The city ...

.Ammachiveedu Muhurthi Temple
at kollamcity.com
at thekeralatemples.com

Structure

The Ammachiveedu Muhurthi's

Garbhagriha 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 ' ...

is small, measuring only 4 feet by 4 feet, by 6 feet tall. The temple has a Peedam (small platform), clad with silver plate, upon which the deity stands. Two

Shankha A Shankha ( conch shell) has religious ritual importance in Hinduism. It is the shell of any suitable sea snail which had a hole made for the performer's embouchure. In Hindu history, the shankha is a sacred emblem of The Hindu preserver god ...

, in golden covers, are placed over the Peedam. The temple has a number of other deities seated outside, including

Ganesha 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 ...

, Rektha Chamundi, Paramparu, Ykshi, Marutha, Rekshas, Gandharvan, Vethalam, and Yogeshwaran. Another deity, Djinn, is placed outside the temple premises and is worshipped by the

Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...

community. Adjoining the temple there is a Sarpakavu, or snake grove, which houses images of Parappooramma Bhagavathi, Nagaraja, Nagayakshi, and Naga Kanyaka.

Dedication

The Ammachiveedu Muhurthi temple has no main idol, and is dedicated to the

guru Guru ( sa, गुरु, IAST: ''guru;'' Pali'': garu'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan- Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: traditionally, the guru is a reverential ...

(teacher) of the

Dharmaśāstra ''Dharmaśāstra'' ( sa, धर्मशास्त्र) is a genre of Sanskrit texts on law and conduct, and refers to the treatises ( śāstras) on dharma. Unlike Dharmasūtra which are based upon Vedas, these texts are mainly based on ...

, of the Shasthamkotta temple, about 35 km away. The deity was entrusted to the elders of the Ammachi Veedu family as a recognition of the marriage ceremonies carried out at the temple, and they are now also revered as "Brahma Rakshas" on the right hand of the deity. Because the deity of the temple has the status of a guru, members of the family are prohibited from entering the premises of the Shasthamkotta temple. The Ammachiveedu Muhurthi temple has no

caste Caste is a form of social stratification characterised by endogamy, hereditary transmission of a style of life which often includes an occupation, ritual status in a hierarchy, and customary social interaction and exclusion based on cultur ...

bar, and is used by worshippers of various castes and creeds. ‘Ginnu’ ''(

Jinn Jinn ( ar, , ') – also romanized as djinn or anglicized as genies (with the broader meaning of spirit or demon, depending on sources) – are invisible creatures in early pre-Islamic Arabian religious systems and later in Islamic ...

)'', a supernatural being in Arab folklore and Islamic teachings, is one of the sub-deities here at Ammachiveedu Muhurthi temple along with the Hindu sub-deities like Raktha Chamundi, Ganapathy, Marutha etc.

Festivals and Ceremonies

Various pujas (ceremonies, or festivals) are performed at the Ammachiveedu Muhurthi temple, at auspicious times. The ceremonies of Sarpa Bali (sacrifice for snakes) and Noorum Palum (making offerings to snakes) are conducted by the priest from the Pampummekkattu Mana, in

Mala Mala may refer to: Comics * Mala (Amazon), an Amazon from Wonder Woman's side of the DC Universe * Mala (Kryptonian), a villain from Superman's corner of the DC Universe Films and television * ''Mala'' (1941 film), a Bollywood drama film * , ...

, in the

Thrissur Thrissur (), formerly Trichur, also known by its historical name Thrissivaperur, is a city and the headquarters of the Thrissur district in Kerala, India. It is the third largest urban agglomeration in Kerala after Kochi and Kozhikode, and t ...

district. The temple's main annual festival has no specific date, but falls during Dhanu, which runs from mid-December to early January, and is always held after the Mandala Puja at the Sabarimala Dharma Shastra temple. By an agreement, members of Ammachiveedu must not make a pilgrimage to Sabarimala. On the 10th day the Karanavan (the eldest male in the family) conducts the puja in the Kalam specially prepared for the purpose, when boiled Ninam is offered to the deity.Ammachiveedu Muhurthi Temple
at naturemagics.com

References

{{Hindu temples in Kerala Hindu temples in Kollam district

History

Structure

Dedication

Festivals and Ceremonies

See also

References