meenkulathi bhagavathi amman temple
Meenkulathi Bhagavathi Amman Temple, Pallasena, Kerala… Meenkulathi Bhagavathi Amman Temple is located in Pallassana, a village in Kerala. Meenkulathikkavu is one of the oldest temples in Pallassena, Kerala. Ma Meenkulathi is considered to be an aspect of Madurai Meenakshi Amman, and since she contains fish like eyes, hence the deity in this temple came to be known as Meenkulathi Bhagavathi Amman Temple. I had been once told by an Astrologer to visit this Bhagavathi Amman Temple, but, since it is too far away from my home, I am planning to visit this wonderful temple in future, but however, I am writing an article about this excellent Meenamma (Mother of all living beings, including fish) temple.
The structure is built in the Kerala style. It is constructed in such a way that the shadow of the wall never falls on the ground. There are two entrances, one in the north and the other in the west. The temple tank is next to the western entrance.
Navarathri, Karthigai, Mandala Vilakku, Maasi Thiruvizha, Pallivettai and Bhairava Pooja are the most celebrated events in the temple. The eight-day maasi festival includes Ottamthullal and Kathakali programs depicting scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata. It is customary that the deity’s sword and lamp are taken in procession by the descendants of the youths who stood guard over the valuables and the palm leaf umbrella.
Meen kolathi means “She who has a tank of fish”. This is a temple of Meenakshi and is situated in the Pallassana village of Palakkad District on the road connecting Palakkad and Kollengode.
This temple was established by the family of Mannadiars. This family originally belonged to Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu. After losing all their business assets, they decided to migrate to Kerala. They went to the Meenakshi Temple in Madurai, which was their family deity, before coming to Kerala. The eldest member of the family took a stone from Madurai while coming further. He was daily offering worship to the stone. In earlier years he used to visit Madurai temple every year. Once when he became very old, he kept his umbrella and the divine stone on the shore and got in to the pond to take bath. While bathing he cried because he would not be able to go to Madurai again due to his old age, When he finished his bath, he came out. He could not lift both the Umbrella and the stone from there. They had got fixed to the land. When they called astrologers and conducted Deva Prasanam (asking questions to God), they found out that the stone which was fixed to the shore was Goddess Meenakshi of Madurai herself.
After 400 years, the Mannadiyar family build temple for goddess Meenakshi at the same spot. They consecrated the ashta Durgas (Brahmini, Kaumari, Maheswari, Indri Vaishnavi, Narasimhi and Varahi) around the sanctum sanctorum. Because of this nobody is permitted to go around the sanctum sanctorum. The main festivals of the temple are navarathri, Karthiga, Mandala vilakku, foundation day and palli vettai and vaira poojai. On festival days, the sword and lamp is taken in procession. People believe that all sickness will vanish, if people bath in the pond opposite to the temple.
The temple would be open from 05:30 AM to 12:30 AM on Sunday, Tuesday and Friday and during the other days between 05:30 AM to 10:30 AM. In the evening it would be open between 05:30 PM to 08:00 PM.
In the temple there are separate sub temples for Ganapathi, Nagar (snake god) and Bhairava.
Chandattam to remove problems from enemies is performed during the first Tuesday of certain months in this temple. Separate pooja reciting Bhagya suktham and Eikamathya suktham are also done in this temple. In the May – June month (VaikasiEdavam), the thol pavai Koothu (shadow play using dolls made of leather) is conducted for ten days. They sing and enact the story of Ramayana during this time. On the last day, the arrow of Lord Rama is kept in front of the Goddess and is worshipped. Once in 12 years during the full moon day of the same month, a festival called Palli pana is celebrated. Fire walking is one of the highlights of this festival which is celebrated for four days. On the fourth day, the demon called Daruka is killed by the Goddess.
In the eastern and western part of the temple there are two agraharas(villages where Brahmins reside) In the east side village there is a shiva temple and the west side village there is a vishnu temple. Effect of pilgrimage to Meen kolathi is considered as very fruitful, if we can visit there two temples also.
“OM SRI MEENAKSHI MEENKULATHI MEENAMMA NAMO NAMAHA”
COMPILED BY
R. HARISHANKAR