Nalambalam Pilgrimage - Pilgrimage to four idols worshipped by Lord Sri Krishna

Origin of pilgrimage culture in Kerala.

In the medieval periods there were skirmishes between theologians mainly “Saivaites” (devotees of Lord Siva) and “Vaishnavaites” (devotees of Lord Vishnu) regarding the dominance of one deity over the other. It is in these circumstances the mythology regarding the origin of the Lord Ayyappa gained relevance.

The popularity of Lord Ayyappa grew as it was identified with both groups (the birth of Ayyappa is believed to have occurred by the merger of both Siva and Vishnu) acted as a commonly acceptable deity. The culture of going to pilgrimage to Sabarimala thus acted as a catalyst to evolving a trend of periodical pilgrimages. The Sabarimala pilgrimage season starts at the month of Vrichika (November – December)

Nalambalam pilgrimage is also gaining more and more popularity. (it is performed during the month of Karkitaka (July – August) It’s origin was at a time when vehicles were not available and pilgrimage to these four temples –as a ritual it had to be completed within one day between daybreak and noon- was an ardent task, yet devotees did it right out of their deep devotion. Great pains earned them great gains.

The first temple to be attended is the Thriprayar –where Lord Siva is the deity-see the “Nirmalyam” at 3 AM there, and proceed to Iringalakuda to attend the “usha pooja” at the Koodal Manikya temple where Bharathan –a rare deity in temples is installed, then “Utcha pooja at Moozhikkulam Lekshmana Perumal temple comes as the third, then the fourth and last temple at Payammal Shatrukhna temple to attend “Deeparadhana” there.

The completion of this blissful journey seeing four great temples all rich in history and interesting mythologies at a stretch and attending the poojas and rituals performed there will be an experience for the whole life. At this time when vehicles are popular even old people can perform it without much difficulty.

The mythology behind Nalambalam Pilgrimage

Bhagawan Sri Krishna had four favorite idols which he worshipped every day which are as follws.

1. Lord Rama.
2. Lord Lakshmana.
3. Lord Bharatha.
4. Lord Shathrukhna.

At the end of “Dwapara yuga” (in the Hindu mythology old time had been divided in to many yugas and Sri Krishna lived at the end of the Dwapara yuga) Sri Krishna knew that the end was near and directed Sri utthavan to install his favorite idols (mentioned above) in suitable places.

By the end of Dwapara yuga whole Mathura was swallowed by the sea but these idols did not sink, they floated over the sea water all together. One Kaimal of Ponnani had a dream about the floating idols and he went to the sea shore. There the fishermen who got the idols handed them over them to him. Sri Kaimal installed them in four different places as per the directions of the astrologers’ advice.

The details of the temples where the idols were installed and the myths and specialties associated with them along with their locations are described one by one in the following article. This is also an invitation for devotees to perform the “nalambala theertha yatra” (pilgrimage to these four temples) and to experience a unique spiritual satisfaction.

Thriprayar temple at Thriprayar near Thrissur

The idol of Sree Rama was installed at this temple by the side of the river “Thivra” (Thiru purayar) meaning sacred river. The origin of the river is described in a beautiful mythology. Lord Mahavishnu during his “Vamana incarnation” visited this place and he found no water to wash his legs as the whole place was dry and desolate.

Vamana took the water from his “kamandalu” (a small round vessel used by sanyasis to carry water) and poured the water to wash his legs, that source of water never went dry but kept on flowing as the Thiru Purayar or the Thriprayar (river of divine source) as it is called now.

One mythology about the temple is related to “Naranathu Bhrandhan” the eccentric philosopher of the old Kerala myths. One stone used for temple rituals (balikallu) was always found loose and unstable. When Naranathu bhrandhan paid a visit to the temple the riddle was brought to him, the eccentric philosopher got it settled after performing special poojas. That stone is still available in the temple premises.

It is believed that the idols of the temple in the first time were not installed strictly as per the astrological rules and calculations. It is believed that Naranathu Bhranthan corrected the errors by installing the idols of Mother- Earth and Shree Bhagavathi at both sides of Sri Rama idol.

The Thrippayar temple does not celebrate a temple festival as in the case of other temples, even the other three temples where the idols brought by Kaimal celebrate festivals. There are five poojas and three “Sreebali” (sacrifice related rituals) performed in the temple.

The temple opens at 3 at the morning and remains open 12 at Noon. After Noon the temple opens at 4 PM and remains open for darshan till “Athazha pooja” at night. Darshan at 3 AM (Nirmalyam) and “Athazha sreebali” are considered very auspicious.

The performing art “koothu” is very much associated with this temple. It is said that the once king Samoothiri visited this temple and watched this art and he expressed his wish to see the Hanuman’s mischieves in Lanka in detail. Thus the Koothu was extended to a twelve day performance. The Koothu performance starts on the first of Vrichika month.(November)

Koodalmanikyam Temple of Iringalakuda Near Thrissur

This is one of the most well known temples in Kerala built before the 15^th century. It has uniqueness as the deity here is a prominent figure in the Ramayana mythology –Lord Bharatha.

As a temple with Lord Bhartha as deity is a rarity there are arguments that once this temple belonged to the Jains (Bharatheswara saint of Jains) and with the descent of Jainism this temple was taken over by Hindus.

There are beautiful mythologies regarding the origin of the name “Koodal Manikyam” one of them goes like this. The idol of this temple radiated magnificent light that excelled manikyam (a mythological precious stone believed to be kept and protected by divine serpents).

A manikyam kept in the palace of Kayamkulam palace was brought to this temple to compare with the idol and to see which emits more light! This was brought on the fron the king of Kayamkulam on promise to return after comparison. When the Manikyam was brought near the idol it got merged with the idol! (koodal manikyam means merger of manikyam).and thus the name.

Curiosity turned out to be a nightmare as the manikyam vanished. The whole temple had to be handed over to the king of Kayamkulam as compensation. Due to the administrative difficulty the king of Kayamkulam handed over the right of the temple administration to one Thatchudaya Kaimal it was his family which handled the temple till 1971.

This temple has got much uniqueness. Once the ruling kings used to install granite slabs with his orders written, in this temple premises, the remnants of these stone slabs are still available.

The flowers used for pooja are as usual but thetchi (ixora) and thulasi (ocimum sanctum) etc not grown in the compound. Incense sticks and camphor are not used for the pooja. There are no (chuttambalam)sub deities in this temple.

The architecture used for the construction of this temple is typical Kerala style. The temple pond is also unique as but fish no other aquatic creatures are not available.

The deity of Koodalmanikyam is considered as the incarnation of “Dhanvanthari moorthi” The saint of healing. Hence many people approach this temple expecting cure of their ailments.

Lekshmana Temple of Thirumoozhikulam

The deity of Lekshmana is also a rarity. It is situated at Moozhikulam between Alwaye and Mala. The mythology behind the name of this place goes like this. Once upon a time on the banks of river Poorna there an old Sanyasi by name Haritha Maharshi lived to undergo penance and meditation.

Lord Mahavishnu got impressed by the dedication of the yogi and appeared before him. That was the beginning of the “Kali yuga” (as per the Hindu calendar of all the yuagas Kaliyuga is the last one and that is present yuga in which we all are living) and the advices given by Mahavishnu were the ideal ways to lead life in this kali yuga.

These advices are said to be “thiru mozhi” meaning sacred words. And the place got its name as “thirumozhi kalam” –kalam meaning a stage. Later as years passed by thirumozhikalam became “Thirumoozhikulam”.

The Thirumoozhikualam Lekshmana Perumal temple had a superior status and it had a command over the other local temples. It attracted most of the Tamil Vaishnavite pilgrims who visited ancient Kerala. The temple had a bylaw by name “Moozhikulam katcha” which applied to all other temples of Kerala.

The “Periya Thiruvaymozhi” composed by the Tamil poet “Nammazhvar” praises the greatness of deity of Thirumoozhikulam. The deity of this temple Lakshmanan is said to be kind to those who suffer and the wish of the devotees get fulfilled. Devotees vouch of their wish getting good children by visiting the temple which is also claimed to ail illness of heart.

There are idols of Siva as dakshinamoorthi (south side) Ganapati, Sri Raman, Seetha, Hanuman Ayyappa and Bhagavathy in this temple. The idol of Sri Krishna (as goshala Krishnan)

There is an order in visiting the deities of this temple. Which is describes below, enter through the eastern gate and first visit and pray to the main deity Lakshmana, after praying there then visit Ganapathy, Siva and other deities then come back to Lakshmana to offer a second prayer after the pradikshana visit Ayyappa and Bhagavathy and then Krishna, and final visit to Lakshmana’s steps to offer prayers before returning.

The Shatrukhna Temple of Payyammal

The Payammal temple is about seven kilometers from Iringalakuda Koodalmanikya temple in the Iringalakuda Mathilakam route. Of the four idols retrieved from the sea by the fishermen this idol is the smallest. Shatrukhna is considered to be the reincarnation of the Sri Chakra in the hands of Mahavishnu.

During the period of Tippu Sultan this temple suffered severe damages but it was rebuilt by the joint efforts of the good people around it. By their initiative the temple festivals poojas and all other rituals restarted. Now it is working as a full fledged temple in all respects.

There are three poojas performed at this temple which opens for darshan early morning closes the door by ten O clock in the morning. The second session starts in the evening and remains open for darshan for “deeparadhana” and “Athazha pooja” and closes at 7PM. A lamp is lighted behind the “sreekovil” which is square in shape and built in granite. Ganapathy is in the southern part (dakshina moorthi). Ganapathi “homam” is a special offering conducted by the devotees.

Sudharshana Pushpajali and submission of Sudharshana chakram offered at this temple are considered to boost the prosperity of the family members. The five days’ temple festival starts at Pooyam star of the month of Kumbha.(Feb.1 of 2007). The Ramayana month is celebrated with gaiety in the month of Karkitaka (between July and August.

With the visit at Payammal Shathrkhna temple the pilgrimage of Nalambalam is considered over for this year only, what about next year? One more Nalambalam what else. Life is short have four fold effect in a single pilgrimage. Nalambalam is the just the answer. Thank You.

Route Map for Nalambalam Pilgrimage

Click on image to enlarge

Kodungalloor

The Kodungalloor town is situated 35 kilometers south of Thrissur/ Trichur district. Kodungalloor was once an important and strategic port of the Chera rulers of Tamilnadu. The Greeks called it (Kodungalloor) as Muziris and is a place engrossed in rich history. Backwaters surround Kodungalloor. It is said to be the place where St. Thomas first preached Christianity in India. At Kodungalloor, there are worship places belonging to various religions.

Cheraman Juma Masjid

This mosque in Kodungalloor looks like a Hindu temple. It was earlier made of wood. Built in the year 629 A.D., it is the first mosque in India where Juma prayers were started. Recent changes have been made and it now has concrete minarets. The interiors remain wooden though with a Kerala oil lamp right in the center. This lamp is of great significance to people of all religions. Some of them bring oil for the lamp on the auspicious occasions of major family events.

Bhagawati Temple

The Bhagawati temple at Kodungallur is known throughout Kerala. The Bharani festival at the Bhagawati temple is one of the biggest in Kerala. It is a month of festivities and during this period, one can also witness the largest congregation of oracles, not seen anywhere in Kerala.

St.Thomas Church

Jesus Christ's apostle, St. Thomas is believed to have landed in Kodungalloor (earlier Muziris) in 52 AD. The St. Thomas Church established by him houses ancient relics. St. Thomas is portrayed in the gospels as a courageous and brave personality. He had preached the gospel from Ethiopia to China. At Kodungalloor, St. Thomas established the first Christian church in India and is the architect behind many other Churches in Kerala.

History of Guruvayoor

History of Guruvayoor Temple is said to be dates back to Dwaparayuga when krishna is supposed to have told his foremost disciple Udhava to reinstall the idol of Lord Vishnu which he had installed at Dwaraka. The place was to be chosen by Guru Brihaspathi. Krishna promised Udhava that a true devotee can feel his presence in the idol. Collecting the idol from the submerged Dwaraka Brahaspathi and Vayu travelled all over India and with the help of Parasuram located a lake full of lotus flowers in Kerala. The lake was the abode of Lord Siva and Parvathi who moved to Mammiyoor for making place for Vishnu. As Guru and Vayu together installed and founded the temple, the place came to be known as Guruvayupuram. The lord is supposed to have chosen the image of little Krishna (Unnikrishna) at the temple of Guruvayoor. The sub deities worshiped are Ganapathi, Sastha and Bhagavathi. The four armed idol carrying Conch (Sanka), Discuss (Chakra), Mace (Gadha), Lotus niched out of a stone called "Pathala Anjanam" stand gracefully at the Sanctum Sanctorum as a manifestation of Almighty himself ever so merciful to ignorant multitudes.

The history of the idol is said to be as follows. At the beginning of the first Kalpam named Brahmakalpam, Mahavishnu gave Brahma an idol and the first book of Bhagavatham. Brahma, later gave this idol to the Prajapathi Suthapassu and his wife Prishni and Lord Maha Vishnu took incarnation as their son. This couple in their next birth were known as Kashyapa and Aditi. They got possession of this idol in that birth also, and Lord Maha Vishnu was again born as their child, the Vamana. The next birth of this couple was as Vasudeva-Devaki and the story repeats. This time the incarnation of Lord Maha Vishu was as Lord Krishna, the most complete man. Lord Krishna, when he built the city of Dwaraka, built a temple for this idol. Before his death, Lord Krishna entrusted Udhava with this idol and asked him to meet Brihaspathy, the Guru of gods.

The Guru along with his desciple Vayudeva (god of air), found a place which was recommended by Lord Paramashiva. Thus the Guru and Vayu installed this deity and Paramashiva named the place as Guruvayoor. And the deity is now known as Guruvayoorappan. The idol is carved out a stone called 'Pathala Anjana Sila' and is utmost sacred. The place selected for the installation was suitably sacred by the presence of Lord Shiva. The place was already sacred owing to the presence of Lord Paramashiva. He was worshiping Lord Maha Vishnu under the waters of the 'Rudratheertham' (the sacred pond near the temple). Later, Lord Shiva emerged out of the waters when the Prachethas, son of King Pracheenabarhis came in search of a place to worship Lord Maha Vishnu. He then revealed the hymn 'Rudra Geetha' to Prachethas And then the Prachethas worshiped Lord Maha Vishnu for another ten thousand years staying in the 'Rudratheertham' After the installation of the idol of Mahavishnu by Guru and Vayu, Lord Shiva moved to the nearby Mammiyoor temple.

According to the stories, Shri Aadi Shankara who is believed to have extra ordinary powers was once travelling by air from Kalady to Shringeri. Even he, who never believed in the worshiping of idols, was forced to come down while crossing Guruvayoor. To appease Guruvayoorappan he worshiped the deity by eight 'Shloka' (four lines of poetry). This is now known as the 'Govindashtakam'. He then spent 41 days worshiping Guruvayoorappan. The daily rituals of worship during the Mandalam period were conceived by Shri AdiSankara at that time.

Near past history is as follows. The temple was renovated by a Pandya king somewhere around 500 years ago. In 1970, in a fire accident, almost all the temple except the Shreekovil was destroyed and the temple was reinstated in its shape in 1971. The temple is not very big compared to some other well known temples. The Gopuram on the eastern side is 33 feet and that on the western side is 27 feet tall.

Thrissur Pooram

The spectacular festival of light and colour, percussion and elephants

pooram of poorams' Thrissur Pooram - considered to be the mother of all poorams, is a cultural highlight par excellence, celebrated in the Malayalam month Medam (April/May). The two century old festival of spectacular procession of caparisoned elephants and enthralling percussion performances in a never ending succession is an 36 hours marathon event of incredible beauty, a feast for the eye and the ear, unfolding between 6 am to 12 noon the other day. Different from the usual temple festival, Thrissur Pooram is participated and conducted by people across all barriers of religion and caste. This is explained with the genesis of the festival.

Historical background Before the advent of Thrissur Pooram, the largest temple festival during summer in central Kerala was the one-day festival held at Aarattupuzha, 12 km south of the town. Temples in and around Thrissur were regular participants of this religious exercise until they were once denied entry by the responsible chief of the Peruvanam area of Cherpu, known for its Namboodiri supremacy. As an act of reprisal and also in a bid to assuage their wounded feelings, Prince Rama Varma (1751-1805), also known as Sakthan Thampuran and enthroned as the ruler of the erstwhile Cochin state invited all these temples to bring their deities to Thrissur where they could pay obeisance to Lord (Sri) Vakunnathan, the deity of the Vadakunnathan temple. Further he directed the main temples of Thrissur, Thruvambadi and Pamamekkavu, to extend all help and support to these temples. It is this historical background that determines the course of the Pooram program and it is specifically the ruler's antipathy to the brahmin aristocracy to open Thrissur pooram for the common man.

Religious background: Adhering to the medieval Peruvanam tradition, the festival is confined to the temples of Devi (goddess) and Sastha (divine combination of Shiva and Vishnu). Ten deities from the neighboring temples pay obeisance to the presiding deiety of Thrissur and only spectator of the Pooram events, Lord Siva at the Sree Vadakkunnathan temple, situated in the heart of the town. Principle participants are Paramekkavu and Tiruvambadi, close to the Vadakunnathan temple. Also participating and known as 'Cherupooram' are the suburban temples at Kanimangalam, Karamukku, Choorakkattukara, Laloor, Ayyanthole, Neithilakkavu and Chembukkavu, Panamukkampilly, altogether 8 deities. The sprawling Thekkinkadi maidan, en circling the Vadakumnathan temple, is the main venue of the festival.

Fort Kochi and Mattanchery in Kochi

A municipal town from 1866 to 1967, Fort Kochi now is one of the three main urban components that constitute the present day City of Kochi in the Indian State of Kerala, the other two being Mattancherry and Ernakulam> In 1967, these three municipalities, along with a few adjoining areas, were amalgamated to form the new Corporation of Kochi. Fort Cochin in mainly occupied by the Anglo Indians and Dutch settlers left behind by the Europeans visitors to this part, and something to be noted is that still the European culture is being followed by in Fort Cochin. Fort Cochin is the home to some of the oldest European architecture in India and has been a significant settlement ever since Cochin Harbour was discovered. Unlike the bustling Ernakulum, Fort Cochin is sleepy and retains a great deal of colonial charm. A day spent wandering the streets of Fort Cochin will be well spent. Some of the important charming eye catching views in Fort Kochi are the Santa Cruz Basilica,Chinese net, waterfront, Dutch Cemetary, Princess Street, St Francis church, Cochin carnival, Jew street, synagogue, Mattancherry Palace etc.

Santa Cruz Basilica The Portugese built Basilica’s 500th anniversary was very recently. With gracious and admiring interiors, Gothic façade with soaring and dazzling spires the Basilica is a charming prayer home. The Dutch catch of Kochi in 1663 resulted in booming of warehouses in places of worships. The irresistible beauty garnered by stained glass and the imposing Caryatids over the confessional boxes might have persuaded the Dutch to spare it. It is located on Rampart Road. Founded soon after the arrival of the first Portuguese visitors to India Located on Rampart Street. Open: 9-1 and 3-5 with Masses at 7 am and 6 pm. Mass on Saturday at 6pm is in English

Princess Street: Flower-pot laden windowsills, bronze stucco walls and peeling pastel are the peculiarities of colonial style buildings. See them in Princess Street. Princess Street, a segment of Fort Kochi, revels in moody pastimes. In the morning there is a lovely smell of fresh bread and dont forget to load on Loafer Corner where you can see and be seen.

St Francis Church: Built in timber by Portuguese in 1503, it was overlaid with stone masonry later. Vasco da Gama was cremated here in 1524. His remains were later removed to Lisbon. His tomb, however, still exists. The grave stones were tossed into the walls of the church in 1886. The ‘Doop Book’, that is, old baptism and the marriage register, from 1751 to 1804, kept in the vestry, are the delights of history seekers. A photo copy of the Doop Book is kept outside the vestry to enable interested visitors to glance through. Location: Church Road. Open: 6am - 7pm, Mass at 7.15 am

Dutch Cemetary: Old cemetary for the Dutch settlers and colonists from the 17th to 18th century. Interesting and quiet site for exploring the Fort Cochin history. Location: short walk from the lighthouse.

Waterfront: A little walk-away is Vasco da Gama Square, a narrow promenade running along the beach. Huge cantilevered Chinese Fishing Nets, just before the beach are littered in the water as welcome symbols to the visitors. The Chinese Fishing Nets system works in a systemic way. A bamboo and teak (or any hardwood) contraption with net-spread hanging get pulled down to the water and hauled in with the catch. This is done manually. The catching process is usually in the morning and early evening. The Fort Kochi beach is clean and small. At one end there is a pretty Lighthouse. Recline and relax on the white sand when the eyes will sharp on Lakshadweep bound ships. Lakshadweep gets all the consumer and otherwise goods from the mainland Kochi. Ferry to the distanced sporadic Cherai beach. The receptive white sand there is a luring force to recline, sleep, dance or to football. And swim and sniff. If lucky, dolphins can be spotted. Coconut groves and paddy field across the shore add glamour to this beautiful beach.

Kochi Carnival: The last 10 days of December white rules Kochi. All avenues, establishments and houses in Kochi wear white paper buntings. All available space in the streets host impromptu competitions and multi-faceted celebrations. All these are conducted with self-imposed discipline. No trace of unruliness. Kalam Vara (floor drawing), tug-of-war, bicycle races, swimming in sea, beach volleyball are some of the items packed in the competition basket. The festivities and revelries continue till midnight of December 31st. Fireworks mark the finale. All the days of Carnival large number of people gather to enjoy the events.

Jew Street: Once one of the oldest Jewish communities in the world, but now many of the inhabitants have moved to Israel and the once bustling jewish community has now largely shut up shop and the street is quiet. The nearby Market Road still bustles with spice market and tourist curio shops.

Pardesi Synagogue: At one end of Jew Street is Jewish Cemetery Road with its Malayalam and Hebrew tombstones. A short walk brings you to Pardesi Synagogue. Once there were 7 synagogues in Fort Cochin in this street, only Pardesi is still open. The synagogue is 400 years old and its interior holds curved brass columns, an intricately carved teak ark, Belgian crystal chandeliers and Torah crowns of solid gold set with gems. The floor has hand-painted porcelain tiles from Canton, each tile different. The most interesting object are the two copper plates with details of privileges granted to the Jewish community during the reign of Bhaskara Ravi Varman in the 10th century. The 4 dials of the 45 ft clock tower have numerals in Hebrew, Latin, Malayalam and Arabic.
Entry Fee: Rs 2 Open: 10-noon, 3-5pm, closed on Fridays, saturdays and Jewish Holidays. (No video cameras)

Cochin synagogue implements strict dress code A new dress code for visitors at the 16th century Cochin Synagogue here, the only functional synagogue in Kerala. The dress code, enforced from April 27, requires men to wear full shirts and trousers and women to sport long skirts well below the knee.

Mattanchery Palace: Mattanchery Palace, a monument of historical value, was shaped out by Portuguese in 1555. The Palace is located in Mattanchery which is about 8-km from Ernakulam. . Mattanchery is a known trading centre since long and is cosmopolitan. The Oriental styled Palace is unique in architectural point of view. Many years later in 1663 the Palace was remodeled by Dutch and it is known as Dutch Palace thereafter. In the remodeling a great amount of improvements went into. The Palace is a hallmark of unique mythological murals in India. The Palliyara (Royal bed chamber) is stunning – one can easily grasp the entire story of Ramayana from the walls. Traditional flooring which is unique in all aspects is sighted here. It is made of burned coconut shells, lime, plant juices and egg-whites, but many mistook it as polished single piece of black marble. It is said, such flooring techniques were employed only in Kerala and nowhere else in the world. After renovation the Palace was presented to the Kerala Varma Maharaja, the then ruler of Cochin, by the Dutch. Maharaja used it as the Royal House and Coronations used to be held here. The two-tiered quadrangular Palace is spacious. Its halls are long and roomy. There is a central court-yard where the Royal deity, Palayannur Bhagawati is housed. Ground floor is christened as Ladies Chamber which is linked by a staircase to Karithalam room. Coronation Hall, Dining Hall, Bed Chambers, Assembly Hall and the Staircase room are in the upper storey. Coronations are conducted in the square shaped eastern portion of the Coronation Hall. Western portion is earmarked for distinguished guests. Artistically wood-carved floral designs and Adhopadma (inverted lotus) beautify the ceiling. Numerous brass cups decor the Dining Hall ceiling. The ceiling of Assembly Hall is different from other ceilings but looks ornamental. In addition to the temple in central courtyard there ar two more temples on either side of the Place. One is of Lord Krisna and the other is of Lord Shiva. A visit to the palace is rewarding for it s mythological murals, historical and architectural valud and heritage value.