Puthucode Bhagavthi
Posted by http://mottu.blogspot.com/2007/06/puthucode-is-small-village-located.html on Tuesday, March 13, 2012 Under: History
Puthucode is said to have the single largest
Tamil Brahmin congregation (agraharam) in Kerala. The goddess is also known as
Annapoorneswari, meaning goddess of food. There is another temple to the end of
the north Agraharam, which hosts Lord Shiva.
Puthucode Annapoorneswari Temple is managed Malabar Devaswom Board. This temple has a golden flag pole. This is the first golden flag mast in any temple in Palakkad district. It was installed on 2004 June 28. The dilapidated temple was renovated and the Kumbhabhishekam was performed in 1986.
The temple occupies extensive ground. It is difficult to find a temple in Kerala with such large and wide four-squared construction called “Chuttambalam”. It has been built on the principles of Agamasastra. The daily rituals are held according to traditional Kerala customs. Cherumukku Mana Nampoothiris hold the right as its head priest. But the daily poojas are done by immigrant Brahmins. The temple opens for worship everyday at 5.30 a.m. and closes at 10 a.m. Again it reopens for evening worship at 4.30 p.m. Closing at 9 p.m.
The deity's radiant smile itself is enticing which casts spell on worshippers. It needs thousand eyes to behold the beauty and splendour of the goddess in full decoration in the evenings.
The temple is open to all belonging to Hindu society. In the mornings, the pandits from village, recite Devi Mahatmyam and Sundarakandam for the welfare of all. In the evenings recitation of vedas by the vedic-scholars takes place and particular mention must be made of Varam recitals in the month of November/December which bring to the fore the great erudition, skill, and knowledge of the participants. The younger generation also assembles in evenings for community recital of Shyamaladandakam and Sahasranamam. The Variyam, Nambisan and Marar families carry out the other chores in the temple.
One of the most important festivals of the temple is Navarathri festival which falls in September/October each year. This festival is celebrated by the joint efforts of the villagers and the Devaswom with great gusto. An air of festivity descends on the village for ten days during this time. It is a custom of this temple that, those who come to worship during these ten days are fed free. The deity is therefore called Annapoorneswari.
The temple Devaswom has encouraged the daily recitation of Devi Mahatmya, Sundarakanda, Sama and Yajur Vedas and Thola Purana for which appropriate provision has been earmarked for payment of Dakshina to the participants.
A special mention must be made here about the Navarathri festival. The festival begins in the first day after the new moon day in the month of Kanni. After the flag hoisting ceremony in the hours following the sun set, which is attended by all the villagers, they are received with traditional honours by the Devaswom Manager in the Agrasala who requests them to co-operate in the conduct of the Navarathri celebrations. This is followed by the cutting of vegetables by all those present signifying the start of the preparations for the temple feeding of Bhaktas from the following morning.
The next nine days are really memorable. Each of the four villages is assigned particular days on which they will take the responsibility for decorations, lighting of lamps, feeding the Bhaktas, processions and other services both in terms of labour and money. Thus there is a friendly rivalry between the four villages in the conduct of the festivals.
It is a feast to the eyes and ears, reminiscent of the Trichur Pooram in a small way. The villages are decorated with buntings and arches. In the evening the whole village is turned into a fairy-land by multi-coloured electric lamps. The temple is aglow with a million oil lamps around the prakaras. Flower decorations add beauty and sanctity to the temple, while the sweet scent pervades the atmosphere. The goddess now turns into an enchantress who possess the ambience of a thousand sun, captivating every one with her divine charisma.
The Deeparadhana at the evening is a moment to behold as the atmosphere turns voltaic with prayers and recitals accompanied by the clanging of a multitude of temple-bells. A feeling of intense devotion, hitherto unknown, descends on the devotees thus giving them pure bliss and ecstasy.
Kelikottu, Thayampaka, Padakam and Chakyar Koothu follow this till late in the night to give mass entertainment. Again at midnight, awashed in the reddish hue of flaming torches(aka 'panthams'), caparisoned elephants are taken out in procession through the village, importance being given to Pandi Melam.
The next day’s celebrations start all over again under the charge of the village which is next in the preassigned list.
For feeding of devotees on Navarathri days, several families of the village have bequethed land to the Devaswom in the days gone by. For example the feeding on the 6th day has been traditionally done in the name of “Nanupattar Sadya” whose family has endowed land to the Devaswom for this purpose.
The idichu pizhinja payasam or chathusatham is the main nivedyam in Annapoorneswari temple during Navarathri.
Puthucode Annapoorneswari Temple is managed Malabar Devaswom Board. This temple has a golden flag pole. This is the first golden flag mast in any temple in Palakkad district. It was installed on 2004 June 28. The dilapidated temple was renovated and the Kumbhabhishekam was performed in 1986.
The temple occupies extensive ground. It is difficult to find a temple in Kerala with such large and wide four-squared construction called “Chuttambalam”. It has been built on the principles of Agamasastra. The daily rituals are held according to traditional Kerala customs. Cherumukku Mana Nampoothiris hold the right as its head priest. But the daily poojas are done by immigrant Brahmins. The temple opens for worship everyday at 5.30 a.m. and closes at 10 a.m. Again it reopens for evening worship at 4.30 p.m. Closing at 9 p.m.
The deity's radiant smile itself is enticing which casts spell on worshippers. It needs thousand eyes to behold the beauty and splendour of the goddess in full decoration in the evenings.
The temple is open to all belonging to Hindu society. In the mornings, the pandits from village, recite Devi Mahatmyam and Sundarakandam for the welfare of all. In the evenings recitation of vedas by the vedic-scholars takes place and particular mention must be made of Varam recitals in the month of November/December which bring to the fore the great erudition, skill, and knowledge of the participants. The younger generation also assembles in evenings for community recital of Shyamaladandakam and Sahasranamam. The Variyam, Nambisan and Marar families carry out the other chores in the temple.
One of the most important festivals of the temple is Navarathri festival which falls in September/October each year. This festival is celebrated by the joint efforts of the villagers and the Devaswom with great gusto. An air of festivity descends on the village for ten days during this time. It is a custom of this temple that, those who come to worship during these ten days are fed free. The deity is therefore called Annapoorneswari.
The temple Devaswom has encouraged the daily recitation of Devi Mahatmya, Sundarakanda, Sama and Yajur Vedas and Thola Purana for which appropriate provision has been earmarked for payment of Dakshina to the participants.
A special mention must be made here about the Navarathri festival. The festival begins in the first day after the new moon day in the month of Kanni. After the flag hoisting ceremony in the hours following the sun set, which is attended by all the villagers, they are received with traditional honours by the Devaswom Manager in the Agrasala who requests them to co-operate in the conduct of the Navarathri celebrations. This is followed by the cutting of vegetables by all those present signifying the start of the preparations for the temple feeding of Bhaktas from the following morning.
The next nine days are really memorable. Each of the four villages is assigned particular days on which they will take the responsibility for decorations, lighting of lamps, feeding the Bhaktas, processions and other services both in terms of labour and money. Thus there is a friendly rivalry between the four villages in the conduct of the festivals.
It is a feast to the eyes and ears, reminiscent of the Trichur Pooram in a small way. The villages are decorated with buntings and arches. In the evening the whole village is turned into a fairy-land by multi-coloured electric lamps. The temple is aglow with a million oil lamps around the prakaras. Flower decorations add beauty and sanctity to the temple, while the sweet scent pervades the atmosphere. The goddess now turns into an enchantress who possess the ambience of a thousand sun, captivating every one with her divine charisma.
The Deeparadhana at the evening is a moment to behold as the atmosphere turns voltaic with prayers and recitals accompanied by the clanging of a multitude of temple-bells. A feeling of intense devotion, hitherto unknown, descends on the devotees thus giving them pure bliss and ecstasy.
Kelikottu, Thayampaka, Padakam and Chakyar Koothu follow this till late in the night to give mass entertainment. Again at midnight, awashed in the reddish hue of flaming torches(aka 'panthams'), caparisoned elephants are taken out in procession through the village, importance being given to Pandi Melam.
The next day’s celebrations start all over again under the charge of the village which is next in the preassigned list.
For feeding of devotees on Navarathri days, several families of the village have bequethed land to the Devaswom in the days gone by. For example the feeding on the 6th day has been traditionally done in the name of “Nanupattar Sadya” whose family has endowed land to the Devaswom for this purpose.
The idichu pizhinja payasam or chathusatham is the main nivedyam in Annapoorneswari temple during Navarathri.
In : History