Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple

Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple

The Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple is a Hindu temple near Aranmula, a village in Kerala, South India.

The temple is on the left bank of the Pampa River. It is from here that the sacred jewels of Ayyappan are taken in procession to Sabarimalai each year. Aranmula is also known for the watersports involving a spectacular procession of snake boats. It is also linked with legends from the Mahabharata.

It is one of the most important Krishna temples in Kerala, the others being at Guruvayur, Trichambaram, Tiruvarppu and Ambalappuzha.

Also, it is one of the five ancient shrines in the Chengannur area of Kerala, connected with the Mahabharata. The Chengannur temple is related to Yuddhishtra; the Tiruppuliyur temple to Bheema; Aranmula to Arjuna; Tiruvamundur to Nakula and Tirukkadittaanam to Sahadeva). It has been glorified by the Tamil hymns of Nammalwar of the 1st millennium CE.

The temple has four towers over its entrances on its outer wall. The eastern tower is accessed through a flight of 18 steps. Descending 57 steps through the northern tower, one can reach the Pampa River.

Mahabharata legends

Legend has it that the Pandava princes, after crowning Parikshit left on a pilgrimage of India, and in Kerala, each of these brothers installed Vishnu on the banks of the Pampa and nearby places and offered worship. (Chengannur - Yuddhishtra, Tiruppuliyur - Bheema, Aranmula - Arjuna, Tiruvamundur - Nakula and Tirukkadittaanam - Sahadeva). It is said that Arjuna built this temple at Nilackal near Sabarimalai. and the image was brought here in a raft made of six pieces of bamboo to this site, and hence the name Aranmula (six pieces of bamboo).

Legend has it that Arjuna built this temple, to expiate for the sin of having killed Karna on the battlefield, against the dharma of killing an unarmed enemy. It is also believed that Vishnu (here) revealed the knowledge of creation to Bhrama, from whom the Madhukaitapa demons stole the Vedas.

There is yet another legend associated with Parthasarathy here. On the ninth day of the battle of Kurukshetra, the Kauravas reigned supreme under the leadership of Bheeshma, when Krishna motivated Arjuna to take initative and vanquish his foe. Upon his hesitating to do so, Krishna jumped down in rage, and took up his discus; seeing this sight Bheeshma surrendered to him and Arjuna beseeched him not to kill Bheeshma, as it would bave been against Krishna's vow to take up arms in his battle. It is believed that it is this image of Krishna that is enshrined here, with a discus.

Festivities

The water carnivals taking place at the temple include a boat race during the Onam season. A tradition of sending an offering of rice and other material required for a feast from a nearby village, on a waterboat relates to the origin of this festival and this tradition is continued even today (this is related to a legend in which a devotee fed a hungry pilgrim, who directed him to send food to Aranmula and disappeared, revealing that he was none other than Vishnu).

Snake boats accompany the sacred boat. The boat race: Snake boats from 39 Karas from Chennithala in the west to Ranni in the east participate in the watersport Vallomkali. These boats assemble at dawn and sail in pairs for about 2 hours. A snake boat is about 103 feet in length. Each boat has about 4 helmsmen 100 rowers and 25 singers. After the watersport there is an elaborate feast in the Aranmula temple.

Another festival celebrated here is the Khandavanadahanam celebrated in the Malayalam month of Dhanus. For this festival, a replica of a forest is created in front of the temple with dried plants, leaves and twigs. This bonfire is lit, symbolic of the Khandavana forest fire of the Mahabharata.

The Malayalam month of Meenam witnesses a festival where Aranmula Parthasarathy is taken in a grand procession on the garuda mount to the Pampa river bank, where an image of the Bhagawati from the nearby Punnamthode temple is brought in procession for the arattu festival.


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Aranmula kannadi — An Aranmula kannadi or Aranmula metal mirror is a special type of mirror produced at Aranmula, a village in the state of Kerala in India. Composed of a special metal alloy, instead of glass, the Aranmula kannadi is a front surface reflection… …   Wikipedia

  • Aranmula Boat Race — The Aranmula Boat Race takes place at Aranmula, India near a temple dedicated to Lord Krishna and Arjuna. Thousands of people gather on the banks of the river Pampa to watch the snake boat races. Nearly 41 snake boats or chundan vallams… …   Wikipedia

  • Hindu temple — Frontal right view of the Brihadeshwara temple A Mandir, Devalayam, Devasthanam, or a Hindu temple (Sanskrit: देवालयः, Tamil: கோயில் / கோவில், Telugu :దేవాలయం, Kannada: ದೇವಸ್ಥಾನ,Sinhala: කෝවිල, Hindi: मन्दिर, Gujara …   Wikipedia

  • Chettikulangara Devi Temple — Chettikulangara Sree Bhagavathi temple …   Wikipedia

  • Mahadeva Temple, Kalanjoor — Thrikkalanjoor Sree Mahadeva temple Location Country: India …   Wikipedia

  • Annamanada Mahadeva Temple — Annamanada Mahadeva Temple. Annamanada Mahadeva Temple is located at Annamanada in Thrissur District. The presiding deity of the temple is Lord Shiva. The shivling is almost four feet tall and is considered as the Kiratamoorthy in a pleasing mood …   Wikipedia

  • Chirakkadavu Sree Mahadeva Temple — Chirakkadavu Mahadeva Temple, front view The Chirakkadavu Mahadevar Temple is situated between the Kollam Theni route of the National Highway about 32 km east of the Akshra Nagari, Kottayam city and 3 km south of Ponkunnam en route to… …   Wikipedia

  • Chottanikkara Temple — The Chottanikkara (corruption of Jyotiannakkara) Temple is a famous temple of the Hindu mother goddess Bhagawati. The temple is located near Ernakulam in the southern Indian state of Kerala and is one of the most popular temples in the state and… …   Wikipedia

  • Chittoor Sree Krishnaswamy Temple — Chittoor Sree Krishnaswamy Temple, located at South Chittoor in the city of Kochi, is a temple dedicated to Lord Krishna. It is a major temple under the Cochin Devaswom Board. For centuries the temple was closely associated with the Kartha family …   Wikipedia

  • Panachikkadu Temple — is a Hindu temple dedicated to goddess Saraswati the goddess of Knowledge and victory situated at Panachikkad in Kottayam, Kerala, India. It is also known as the Dakshina Mookambika(Mookambika of the south) Temple, as it is a Saraswati temple… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”