Uliyannur Temple by Perunthachan

The Uliyannur Temple, said to be built by the famous carpenter Perunthachan is one of the most historical landmarks in the town. It is said that he had an important part in Aluva’s history.

The temple is located on an island called Uliyannur which was connected to Aluva with a bridge. The way to reach there is a bit twisted as it is a small one-way bridge with a large number of turns as it goes across Periyar. It is too narrow that my friend’s Accent managed to hit its side and damage the bumper.

St. Joseph’s Seminary at Mangalapuzha, on the outskirts of the town is a famous institution for the candidates for Priesthood under the the Syro-Malabar Church. This place also has a long history and a large number of students attend the classes here. The seminary got a large amount of area inside it and it got a fair amount of natural beauty inside along with a big, well-built church in it.

Now, coming back to the air port, it is only ten minute drive from Aluva (well, the air port area is still comes under Aluva, I think). It is one of the best international airports in India, not only because of the size, but also because of the style in which it is built.

The air port has got a special look, something different from the usual air ports which we happen to see anywhere. We can see the planes flying close to the tallest buildings in Aluva showing the fact that the terminal is not too far away.

Kuthambalam by Perunthachan

Kidangoor Subramanya Swamy Temple

Kidangoor Subramanya Swamy Temple 10 kilometers southeast of Ettumanoor.

This temple is one of the ancient temples of Kerala. The Kidangur Subramanya Swami temple is situated in Kottayam District. It is a kilometer away from the Ettumanur-Punjar Highway by the south side of Kidangur- Manarkad road. It is believed that the idol of Subramanya Swami came out of the 'Kamandulu' or pot carried by Maharshi Gauna when it tilted and the water flowed out. Along with the flow of the water, the vigraha was carried away to the Vishnukshetra in Kidangur. Inside the temple where a new Sree Kovil was built for Lord Vishnu, the temple officials felt the presence of Subramanya Swami and so they kept the Subramanya Vigraha there instead of Vishnu. So along with the Vishnu Vigraha on the northern side the Subramanya vigraha was also consecrated in the new Sree Kovil.

Kidangur is historically one of the 64 villages of the Namboodiris. It was the boundary of the Thekkumkur- Vadakkumkur kings. The 14 Brahmin families of Kidangur were the owners of this temple. Out of the 14 Brahmin families some did not have male discendents, so those who had male members became the sole owners of this temple even to the present day.
Koothambalam -Bharata Muni's concept of Natya Shastra is evident in the sculptural work inside the Kuthambalam. So this is different from all other Kuthambalams of various temples of Kerala. It is believed that the Kuthambalam was constructed by Perunthachan. The scenes from Ramayana and mahabharatha are beautifully sculpture

tured on the Rangamandapam of the Kuthambalam. There is a huge pillar curved out of the wood of "Kurumthotti" - a medicinal plant. Inside the hall there is a vigraha of Devi Bhuvaneswari. Women are not allowed to enter the Kuthambalam and the 'Na/amba/am'. 'Koothu' and 'Koodiyattom' are perfonned inside the Koothambalam. A special perfonnance of 'Brahmachari Koothu' is conducted only in this temple and this is for the benefit of those who have no childfen. Mahamaya Devi, enshrined in the Kuthambalam facing south is well known as Kuthambalathil Amma. 'Guruthi' is perfonned for the Devi inside the Kuthambalam by devotees for the removal of all their problems and for the destruction of enemies. During the Annual Festival Chakiyar Koothu is conducted regularly.

Festivals - The main festival is in the month of 'Kumbha' (Feb. March). It starts on the day of 'Karthika' and lasts for 10

days. The 'Trikarthika' of the month of 'Vrichika' (Nov-Dec) and the 'Thaipooyam' of the month of Makara (Jan-Feb) are other important festivals. Many people come to the temple to perform 'Shastivrata' on the 6th day after the 'Amavasya' this is considered auspicious.

THIRUVAIRANIKKULAM TEMPLE

Siva and Parvathy are equally important here in their respective ways. Poojas for Siva are performed every day from 4.30AM to 10A.M and 5.30P.M to 7.30P.M

The sanctum-sanctorum of Parvathy is open only for 12days a year, since the Thiruvathira day of the month Dhanu and special poojas held befittingly.
Worshipping Parvathy during the period is the most auspicious, fulfilling and rewarding for the marital bliss of all sorts.
The wooden carving of Ramayana scenes inside the Balikalpura are supposed to be crafted by Perunthachan, the Vasthu-Wizard of yore

Sastha Temple

Sastha Temple, Chamravattom: (15 km west of Tirur) The Bharathapuzha flows behind this beautiful temple that lies past vast stretches of paddy fields. Believed to have been built by the legendary sculptor Perunthachan, the idol stands on the same level as the river, much below the sanctum sanctorum. Pilgrims heading for Sabarimala stop here en route.

Thootha River: Flowing through Perinthalmanna in Malappuram, a cruise through this river passing through Palakkad, Thrissur and Malappuram Districts is a fascinating experience. For river rafting, it is necessary to have close to 15 people as the trips are carried out in groups.

Clash between the traditional and the modern

Once upon a time, there lived in Malabar, a kingly state of old South India, a master carpenter known as Perunthachan. He was widely known as an excellent craftsman, with unparalleled genius in architecture and design, and is even today credited for the aesthetic brilliance of many temples and palaces in Kerala. Legend has it that when Perunthachan grew old, there was a severe feud between him and his son, who had by then managed to build up a reputation as an architect in his own right.

Perunthachan believed that the ancient traditions of Vastusastra are too sacred to be modified, while his son had more modern notions of how ancient architectural methodologies and theories could be adapted to better suit the changing times. Versions of the tale also mention that Perunthachan and his son also disagreed on the relevance of caste system in society – the young carpenter was in love with a high caste Brahmin girl and wanted to marry her while Perunthachan strongly resisted it, believing it to be unacceptably antagonistic to age-old traditions. In a rather tragic and drastic ending to the story, Perunthachan is said to have killed his son and thus put an end to this father-son feud.

That is the story of Perunthachan, an old folklore of Kerala that dramatizes the clash between the old and the new. A story that has remained popular even in the current era, as a sign of how the clash between the old and the new is as relevant now as it as has always been.

Most of us would have been confronted with the old versus new question at some point in our lives. If you are from an eastern culture, respect for everyone and everything that has walked or been on the earth longer than you has probably been ingrained into you from the moment you were born. Even in the so-called modern cultures, people cling onto traditions they know and you frequently hear stories of people who have gone to extraordinary lengths in search of their roots. Antiques are usually valued many more times than an object of the same functional value, but with a shorter history to claim. From my own experience, my treasured early childhood memories include curling up next to my aged grandmother, and listening to mythical stories or sometimes, just to the news on the radio. It was not just a grandmother’s love or the excitement of the stories that made those moments special – at some level, I cherish those moments as the only links to a distant past I would never live in or which I can relate to only through words and pictures.

Thiruvairanikkulam fete on - mandapom by Perunthachan

THE KUMBHMELA in far away Allahabad occurs once every 12 years and there is indeed a sea of humanity there. Right in our backyard, in Vairanikulam, near Aluva, when the Sri Parvathi Nada opens for 12 days from Thiruvathira day in the Malayalam month of Dhanu (this year it fell on December 20), the crowd is getting bigger and bigger. Last year more than ten lakhs of the devout visited the temple; this year, the temple remains open till December 31 and the number expected is around 12.5 lakhs. As in Sabarimala, there is an average annual increase of 25 per cent here too. The arrangements for worship are meticulously coordinated and crowd management is scientific.

Why this crowd during these 12 days? The Thiruvairanikkulam Devi Temple is open for worship throughout the year. Only the Parvathy nada is kept closed, though poojas are done every day. As in every other aspect of our life, here too there are reasons enmeshed in faith, conventions and folklore.

The temples in Bhadrinath and in Sabarimala are open only at certain times due to inaccessibility. But in this temple, the Parvathy nada is kept closed for strictly religious reasons.Historical evidence shows the Pandirukulam progeny was born to an upper caste man. A descendant of this family, known as Agavoor Chathan, is identified with this temple and the rituals here. The Agavoor house was in Airanikulam. There is a family temple for Siva and Parvathy there; due to many reasons, the family shifted centuries ago to Srimoolanagaram. Legend has it that the Namboodiri head of the family used to offer prayers at the family temple. It is believed that Agavoor Chathan prepared a boat of granite and ferried him there every day. The boat can be seen in the river even today.

As the head of the family became old, he could not undertake this journey and prayed that the Lord and Goddess come nearer his home.A Sivalinga was found nearby shortly after, according to legends. Thus the temple came about. To commemorate this, the idol from the temple is taken out in procession once a year and is placed here for worship. Remains of an underground tunnel from the river to the sight where the Linga was found can still be seen.

The story of why the Parvathi nada is kept closed all through the year except these 12 days, goes like this:

The Sivalinga found was consecrated facing east along with Parvathy facing west and poojas done. To the surprise of the priests it was found that all food items needed for morning pooja were prepared and kept in the sanctum sanctorum by an invisible divine hand. Curiosity got the better of the priest, who stealthily watched the goings on. To his surprise he found that Sri Parvathy Herself was preparing the items and he swooned. The Goddess, in spite of her compassion, cursed him and said she would never be present in the temple any more. Hearing his fervent entreaties, the Goddess relented and agreed that She could be worshipped for 12 days from Thiruvathira in the month of Dhanu. On the other days of the year, though poojas are done, the door is kept closed. A speciality of this annual festival is that it is strictly religious and there is no pomp and show. Crowd control and management steps are already afoot weeks in advance, barricades are kept for devotees to have darshan without any trouble. Ferry service is provided by motor boats, parking for vehicles is provided. .

It is believed that worshipping Sri Parvathi during these 12 days is auspicious, especially for unmarried girls.

In the mandapom on the eastern side there are depictions in wood of the whole Ramayana, said to be done by Perunthachan himself. People believe that this temple is more than two centuries old. However, experts, on the basis of the work done on the roof and the inscriptions on the Dakshinamoorthy idol, away from the main temple, take the temple back to a much earlier period.

Construction of the temple pond

Perumthachan was once assigned to construct a temple pond. But it so happened that a dispute arose among three Karakkars (local residents) of the place about the shape of the pond, which was going to be constructed. One side wanted a rectangular pond, the second wanted a square pond, where as the third side the pond to be of a circular shape. Perumthachan agreed to construct a pond which would satisfy all the three demands. When the pond was constructed, the Karakkars from the three sides were happy to see their desired shape of the pond. It was so because the original shape of the pond was neither of these three but a highly irregular shape, which created an illusion .

The Shiva temple at Uliyannore and the Valluvanad temples that still exist in Kerala are attributed to Perumthachan.

Chengannur Mahadevar Temple

Chengannur Mahadevar Temple is one of the oldest and famous temple, situated in Allappuzha dist. (Kerala). It is a sprawling temple complex with a circular Sanctum. Lord Shiva and Parvathi Devi are the main investitures of this temple. Differing from other temples, there are two main Shrines in this temple. Lord Shiva facing East and Devi facing West. The main shrine is a conical copper plated one. Devi’s main Idol is made with an alloy of five metals (PANCHALOKHAM). The other sub-investitures of the temple are Ganapathi, Shasta (Lord Ayyappan), SreeKrishnan, Chandikeswaran, Neelagrivan, Ganga, and Naagar.

The temple was constructed centuries back in accordance with an architectural design evolved by the famous Perunthachan. In the 18th Century the temple complex was damaged by fire and renovated later by Vanghipuzha Thampuran except the KUTHAMBALAM (Performance Hall). This could not be restored to its original position as it had been designed and constructed by Perunthachan. The structure of the Kuthambalam originally constructed by Perunthachan was in such a manner that the shadow of the performer would not fall on the stage if all the lamps were lit on each of the post of the Kuthambalam.

Compared to other temples, this temple has a peculiarity of its own, quiet distinct from other temples. The interesting belief and festival of this Temple is TRIPUTHARATTU which is considered as a symbol of fertility. This festival is connected with a menstruation ceremony, which is observed periodically in the temple. That is why this temple is also considered as Shakthi Peedam.

Pakkanar

Pakkanar was a poor man. He used to earn his living by selling winnows made of bamboo. Every day early in the morning he used to go to the nearby forest to cut bamboo. His wife will make seven winnows out of it. Pakkanar will sell the winnows by taking it from house to house. He used to make bitter bargain with the household women for getting good price for his winnows. But his philosophy is that he need only the money sufficient for a day. Once he got that much he will leave the place without waiting for the lady who went inside with the winnow she bought, to bring the money.

Pakkanar was a devotee of Lord Shiva. One day Goddess Parvathy, wife of Lord Shiva, appealed to Lord Shiva to save Pakkanar from his poverty by giving his blessings. Lord Shiva told Goddess Parvathi that Pakkanar won't accept any such things from anybody and he is happy in living by his own hard earnings. The Goddess was not prepared to accept his version as She believed that it is the human nature to enjoy on somebody else's earnings. Lord Shiva told her that her assumption is not correct as far as Pakkanar is concerned and He was prepared to prove it.
One day, as usual, Pakkanar went to the forest to cut bamboo. But, to his surprise, when he cut the bamboo, gold coins began to pour down from it. Seeing this Pakkanar ran from that site to another. But the same thing repeated wherever he went. He then ran away from the forest even without collecting the bamboo he cut, crying that it may be the wish of the Lord that they should starve on that day.

On the way he saw three people riding on horseback. They thought that he is running away seeing some wild animals. They asked him why he is running away. Pakkanar told them that there is a man killer and so don't proceed further. But ignoring his advice they went ahead keeping their arms ready. When they entered the forest, to their great surprise, they saw heaps of gold coins there.They collected as much as they can in their gunny bags. On their way back home as they felt hungry, they sent one among them to bring food. The man who went for food mixed poison in the food of his companions to make the entire treasure his own. At this time the other two planned to kill the third so that they can own the gold one half each. So they hide behind a tree and killed him on the way. They then decided to divide the bounty after eating the food. When they ate the poison mixed food the inevitable happened, both died. The prophecy of Pakkanar became true that wealth is a Man killer.

Aithihyamala

Many legends of Perumthachan can be seen in Aithihyamala, the compilation of legends and folklore of Kerala written by Kottarathil Sankunni. According to legend, Perumthachan was born to a Brahmin father Vararuchi and a low caste, mother from the village of Thrithala. After the marriage, they set out on a long journey. During the course of the journey, the woman became pregnant several times, and every time she delivered a baby, the husband asked her whether it had a mouth or not. Each time she answered yes, Vararuchi asked her to abandon the baby saying that since it had a mouth it could somehow fend for itself in the world. Each of these babies were taken up by people belonging to twelve different castes. Thus each of these babies grew up in that particular caste, making the legendary Parayi petta panthirukulam or literally the twelve castes borne from the pariah woman. They all became famous in their lives and many tales and legends are attributed to them. The eldest was Agnihothri, a brahmin, whose place is Mezhathur in Trithala. The others are Pakkanar (basket weaver), Perumthachan (Master carpenter), Naranathu Bhranthan (an eccentric but divine person), Vayillakunnilappan (a child without mouth, whom the mother wanted to keep with her) and so on.

Since Perumthachan was taken up by parents who belonged to Carpenter caste, he mastered the art and science of carpentry and architecture. He read the sacred texts and mastered the ancient intellectual tradition. He was commissioned for many a great architectural projects to build temples and palaces. In course of time he became known as a reincarnation of the chief architect of the gods.

Perumthachan had a son who like him mastered and excelled in carpentry and architecture. His son soon excelled his own perfection. The renown of Perumthachan's son spread far and wide. This is said to have caused a sort of professional jealousy in Perumthachan. According to the Aithihyamala, Perumthachan dropped his chisel on his own son faking it as an accident.

But Viswakarms in kerala are not believing in this mythologies. Parayi petta panthirukulam was a fabricated story of the so called upper casts, just to show the abode of creativity or brahmajyanam was with them.

Perunthachan - A brief

Perumthachan also spelled as "Perunthachan" meaning (the master carpenter or the master craftsman) is an honorific title that is used to refer to an ancient legendary carpenter, architect, woodcarver and sculptor from Kerala, India. However Perumthachan is an important figure in the folklore of Kerala and many a wondrous structure and architecture that still stand are attributed to him.

The story of Perumthachan has been a source of artistic expression for various people. It has been the basis for a great malayalam dramatic monologue poem of the same name by G. Sankara Kurup. The legend of Perumthachan was also depicted in a malayalam cinema enacted by the malayali actor Thilakan. It was directed by Ajayan (1990) and won accolades for its cinematography and direction.