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Venganellur Mahadeva Temple

About the Temple

The Venganelloor Maha Shiva Temple, which is estimated to be over 2000 years old and is currently under the Cochin Devaswom Board, is one of the 108 Shiva temples. This temple had a glorious golden age. The land of Sri the Mahadev, which was leased at 30000 paras of paddy per year, was spread over the districts of Thrissur and Palakkad. The self-existent deity here, who was installed by Sri Parasurama, is known as 'Theeruveempilappan' as he was found near an ancient 'Veembu' tree. The circular shrine, which is facing east, houses the deity Sri Mahadeva, the deity Sri Parvati Devi to the west, and the deity Sri Mahaganapati and the Sri deity Dakshinamurthy to the south. It is built with 52 giant wooden poles fixed in the arudham. On the south-west side of the chutambalam are Sri Dharmasastava, Sri Manikandan inside the wall of the valiambalam, on the north side of the chutambalam are the independent deity Sri Subrahmanya with a family deity known as 'Perir Subrahmanyan', and on the north-west side is Sri Kutti Ganapati.
This great temple, which is now home to the deities of the Maharaja's paradevathas, Bhagavathi, and Athimahakalan, inside the four-storey (Naalukettu) palace of the Maharaja of Cochin, which has become the Sree Moolam Thirunal High School, is one of the largest temples of the Cochin Devaswom Board. The four pillars of the mandapam and the upper part are full of carvings. The carvings on the wood are amazing, even in the Balikal Pura, the upper floor is full of carvings and should be preserved without damage.

Chakyar Koothu and Koodiyattam, which are held only in rare temples in Kerala, are still being held today under the leadership of the Painkulam Chakyar, with the blessings of the Maharaja of Kochi. Chakyar Koothu is held from 3 pm to 6 pm from the 1st to the 28th of Medam, and Koodiyattam is held from 8 pm on the last 7 days.

It is said that Shivaratri was celebrated as grandly as the Ashtami festival is celebrated today. On Vaikathashtami, when Sri Vaikathappan gave darshan to Vilvamangalam Swamiyar, a Brahmin who used to go regularly to pray was unable to travel due to old age. When he called out to the deity, he was told that he was present in the presence of Thiruveembilappa, who was suffering, and that he had only to pray here, and that he had received darshan. Thus, Ashtami began with offering 5 edangazhis of rice to the Lord of Food, Sri Mahadeva.

It is said that there was a time when 101 paras of rice was offered as food. Even today, thousands of devotees participate in the prasadam ootu on the day before and on Ashtami.

In the belief that Sri Vaikathappan sits and eats the Prasadam Oottupura held at the house of Sri Thiruveembilappan, the Lord of Food, a ritual is performed where everything is served on a single leaf, the tantri is worshipped and the leaf is buried in the courtyard with reverence.

Apart from Ashtami, the temple festivals held during the year include Mahashivratri, Vidyarambham with special colorful garlands performed by individuals and families, Srimad Bhagavata Saptaha Yajnam in Karkidakam, Prathishta Dinam, Illam Nira Pathamudayam etc.

Offering three eyes (Thrikkannu) to Sri Mahadev for curing persistent eye diseases, and praying to Sri Parvati Devi for 12 Month on Mondays for marriage is proven to be successful in the Ashtamangala prashnam.This temple is located one kilometer north of Chelakkara in Thrissur district.