Chettikulangara Devi Temple


Chettikulangara Sree Bhagavathi temple is one of the most renowned Hindu temples in Kerala. Main deity is Sree Bhadrakali. The temple is located at Chettikulangara in Mavelikkara taluk of Alappuzha district in the Indian state of Kerala. The temple is situated about west of Mavelikkara town, north of Kayamkulam city on SH6. Bhadrakali, is an incarnation of supreme mother Shakthi devi, born from the third eye of Lord Shiva, to kill the demon king Daruka. 'Bhadra' means good and 'Kali' means goddess of time. So Bhadrakali is worshipped for prosperity and salvation. Devi is considered as the creator, protector, destructor, nature, power and Kundalini shakthi. Chettikulangara is located near Kayamkulam city. Chettikulangara is in kayamkulam legislative assembly.

Overview

Chettikulangara devi is the supreme mother goddess, Shakthi devi in Hinduism.
The temple has 13 "Karas", or territories. The temple is at the centre of the oldest four Karas and the rest of the Karas surround the temple, which is believed to be 1,200 years old.
The Thantric rights of the temple belongs to Plackudy Illom, With its Tharavadu in Ambalapuzha. Plackudy is one among the ancient Thantric families of Kerala. The Present temple Thanthric charge is for Brahmasri. Plackudy Unnikrishnan Namboothiri.
Recently UNESCO collected details about the temple and its customs in order to examine whether the temple is eligible for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
This is the second largest temple in terms of income under the control of Travancore Devaswom Board, second only next to Sabarimala. It is estimated that the temple has earnings worth many crores per year. In 2009 it earned around 1.7 crore Rupees from a single type of offering called "Chanthattam". A major part of the Nellu offered to the Bhagavathi is also used to make Appam and Aravana prasadams at Sabarimala. The income from the temple is also helpful to run the daily rituals and Poojas at various temples under the Travancore Devaswom Board.
Kuthiramoottil kanji and Therummoottil kanji, are major offerings at Chettikulangara Devi temple, which received the Geographical Indication tags. Ten other names associated with the temple have been registered under the trademark and patents regime. These include Chettikulangara Amma, Chettikulangara Kumbha Bharani, Chettikulangara [|Kettukazhcha], Kuthiyottam, and Chooralmuriyal. The registration under the rules of protection of intellectual property rights has been made in the name of Sree Devi Vilasam Hindu Matha Convention, Chettikulangara, an organisation of 13 karas or regional societies. The organisation has also applied for design patent for kuthira and theru as well as Jeevatha, the deity's palanquin. There are Similar Kettukazhcha at various temples in this Onattukara Area. Kumabha Bharani festival of this temple is being attracted by lakhs of people every year.

Early history

There are many popular beliefs related to the origin of Chettikulangara temple. The most popular one is as follows. Many centuries ago, some local chieftains went to witness the annual festivities at the Koypallikarazhma Bhagavathi temple situated a few kilometers from Chettikulangara. The visitors were humiliated and ridiculed by the Koypallikarazhma temple authorities and the village chieftains there. Perturbed by the humiliation, and out of retribution, they decided to construct a Bhagavathi temple at Chettikulangara. People of Chettikulangara united for this cause, and headed by the Karanavars of the four to five then leading families of the region decided to seek the blessings of Kodungallur Bhagavathi in this mission. They embarked on a pilgrimage visiting various temples en route and reached Kodungallur, and performed Bhajanam for 12 days to please the Goddess. It is said that the Devi came in their dreams to say that she would soon come to Chettikulangara. The next day, they happily returned to Chettikulangara with a sacred sword given by the Velichappadu of Kodungallur temple, and started civil works of the temple.
A few days later, while the kadathukaran of the nearby Karippuzha rivulet was winding up his work on a late evening, he heard an old woman requesting his help to ferry her to the other shore. He felt it was his duty to help this lonely lady, and decided to accompany her to Chettikulangara, the destination she was said to be heading for. On the way, they took rest beneath a wayside tree, and the Kadathukaran brought food for them from a nearby house. Soon he fell asleep, and when he woke up by early daybreak, the lady had vanished.. He elaborated about this mysterious incident to the people of Chettikulangara, and they felt the Devi had reached Chettikulangara.
The next day, annual maintenance works on thatched roof was going on at the illam adjacent to the present temple. While the Antharjanam of the house was serving the dish of Kanji ''muthirapuzhukku and Asthram for the workers, a strange old woman joined them for lunch. Soon after the food, the old lady moved to the western side of the house, and vanished in thin air with a bright glow. Antharjanam witnessed this, and she fell unconscious. Later she elaborated her experience to the people.
The same day, Devi showed her presence to the village chieftains. They approached famous astrologers, it was confirmed that the Bhagavathi had reached Chettikulangara.
According to one version, this temple was consecrated by Padmapadacharyar on the Uthrittathi day of Makara month in 823 CE. There is a firm argument that the goddess here was a family deity, and later emerged as the village and regional deity. Local historians oppose the argument that the temple is not as ancient as the nearby Kandiyoor Mahadeva temple or Mavelikara Krishna Swamy temple as it had not been mentioned in Unnuneeli Sandesam written in the 14th century. According to late Kandiyoor Mahadeva Shasthri, Samudra Bandhan–a leading courtier of Ravi Varman, an ancient King of Venad had visited this temple and wrote poems on Bhagavathi. Similarly, they argue that Aadithya Kulasekharan, the King of Venad also visited the Chettkulangara temple. In addition, one argument favours the notion that this Devi temple was an old kavu where Kadmattath kathanaar achan, on his way to nearby panayanarkavu at parumala from Thevalakara, tried to control a Yakshi and found no place to give her a stay. He came and prayed to the God and was able to control her..
However, it is to be said that the present Sreekovil of the temple is only 450–480 years old, and the Chuttambalam is not more than two centuries old. Local historians say that the temple infrastructure and the surroundings were developed by various local chieftains from time to time. The present Sreekoil was revamped during 1540 CE. Because of a small fire at this temple, the Chuttambalam was slightly modified during the Malayalam year 1002.
It is also believed that Chettikulangara Amma is the daughter of Kodungallur Amma, brought to that place for the well being of all people at Onattukara. And it also says that some Chettyar families from Tamil Nadu was related to the name Chettikulangara''.

Sub-deities

There are many Upadevathas adjacent to the temple, and a few Prathishtas were either revamped or added according to the Deva Prashnam by expert astrologers recently.
The main Upadevathas in the temple premises are
  • Yakshini
  • Ganapathi
  • Nagarajav
  • Balakan
  • Muhurthi
  • Naga Yakshi
  • Thevara Moorthy
  • Kannamballi bhagavathi
  • Rekshas
  • Vallyachan
There is a small temple for Moolasthanam.
A Kavu. A Karimbana and Chembakam tree on the premises are places of worship on the belief that they house Gandharvas and Yakshis, the supernatural elements who accompany Bhagavathy, their master, during her trips, termed Varuthu Pokku in local parlance.
As followed for many centuries, elephants are not taken to the western side of the Nalambalam, fearing that the fairy creatures residing at the Chembakam may kill them.

Festivals

The Temple has a number of festivals. The important ones are

Parayeduppu

In the numerous temples of Onattukara, the "Parayeduppu" period is the festival season. It all begins when the deity of Chettikulangara temple is taken out in procession for Parayeduppu on the Makayriam star of the Malayalam month Makaram. The festivals continue to the end of Meenam. The main part of Parayeduppu is the Jeevatha constructed in the model of the temple structure itself. This box-like carriage for the deity rests on two teakwood poles about two meters long, and is in the form of a palanquin. The front resembles "Thidambu" behind which is a kind of pettakam built as per Thachusaasthra calculations. Up front is a woollen cloth embroidered with shining, colourful pictures and gold trinkets. Behind that is kept the deity's holy dress, starched and pleated, and decorated with small mirror pieces. More than 100 families form the entourage of Parayeduppu Bhagavathy's - three-month-long visit to the homes of people who lives in her Karas
The rhythms used during Jeevatha Ezunnallathu are quite noteworthy. Starting with very slow beats, it builds up a crescendo and ends in fast beats. The ensemble consists of Veekkan chenda, ''Uruttu chenda, Elathaalam''.
Although Jeevatha Ezunnallathu and Parayeduppu are centuries old customs, the "Chuvadu Vechu Kali" is recent.

Kumbha Bharani

The major festival at Chettikulangara is Kumbha Bharani.
This is in the month of February or March. The date is determined according to the Malayalam Calendar KollaVarsham. The Chettikulangara Bharani is celebrated in the month of Kumbha and on the day which has the star Bharani and hence the name Kumbha Bharani. The highlight of the festival is Kuthiyottam and Kettukazhcha.
The preparation for Kumbha Bharani starts 7 days before the actual day and usually that day will be the Shivarathi. People who had pledged for Kuthiyottam will start training their children for the offering on Shivarathi day. All these days these people will host public get-togethers and arrange food for them. The children will be taught a special dance steps called Kuthiyota chuvadukal. Meanwhile, the people from 13 karas of chettikulangara will arrange for the construction of their Kettukazhcha to the temple.
The Kuthiyottam processions starts early morning on that day and will last until afternoon. Those who had offered Kuthiyottam to Devi will bring their children to the temple as a procession and will offer the children before Devi as sacrifice. The boys will be playing the Kuthiyootam dance before the Devi.
During the evening hours it will be turn of the Kettukazhcha. People from each area will pull the Kettukazhcha from the construction sites to the temple to present them before the Devi and after having darshan the parties take up their respective position in the paddy fields lying east of the temple
During the night, the image of Devi will be carried in procession to the Kettukazhcha stationed in the paddy fields. On the next day these structures will be taken back. A big bazaar known as Bharani Chanda is also held at Chetikulangara as part of this festival.