Kollemcode Bhadrakali Temple, Kanyakumari

Address

Kollemcode, Kanyakumari District,

Tamil Nadu 629160

Amman

Bhadrakali

Introduction

Kollemcode Bhadrakali Temple is located at Kollemcode Village in Kanyakumari District of Tamil Nadu. This village is beside the border area of Kerala. Kollemcode is a beautiful village located at the seashore in Vilavancode Taluk of southern Travancore.

Puranic Significance

Travancore province was famous as various synonyms such as Sreevazhumkode, Vanchibhoomi, Venadu Dharmarajyam. This province was ruled by Chola Kings, Kings of Shree Padmanabha Kulasekhara. The Kollemcode Sree Bhadrakali Devi Temple is a jewel to this natural province. Once praised as the beauty spot of Travancore, Kollemcode Temple now belongs to Kanyakumari District of Tamil Nadu. The temple is believed to be built in 625 A.D

The sea shore area extended from, todays, Poovar of Trivandrum District to Thengapattanam of Kanyakumari District was being called as Kalinga Rajapuram. People who were beaten in the Kalinga War had trespassed to this place and the king who was ruling this place on those days allowed them to continue their remaining life here. And thereafter, this place was started being called as Kalinga Rajapuram. These people worshiped Kali as their Goddess. Later, because of the over flooded tidal waves, the people who lived there were wiped out and the place was terribly demolished and vanished under the soil. The myth ends here but the name, Kalinga Rajapuram did not disappear and, still one of the nearby places of Kollemcode is being known as Kalinga Rajapuram. Also, there is a tale that the same Goddess, Kali is being worshipped as Kollemcode Sree Bhadrakali Devi, today. The historic information which has been dug up from the soil is also accepting the truth of aforesaid myth

Special Features

Though Shree Bhadrakali Devi is believed to be appeared here as dual form of Shakti viz. Bhadra and Kali, the devotees gets the blessings from the unified form of Mother Durga. This Goddess’ reside in semi-circular “Mudis” (The artificial statue of Goddess) which are decorated with Snake Hood structures carved from jack tree wood. Kollemcode is the one and only place of its kind because two temples for a single deity in the same province that too in a place which is renowned for its natural beauty.

The “Moola Kshetram” (Parent Temple) “Shree Vattavila Bhadrakali Mudippura” is located not too far from the greenish paddy fields of Kollemcode province. This temple is believed to have omni presence of Goddess and daily worship (Pooja) is being conducted here. Besides this, there is another “Mudippura” at Venkanji province where festivals are celebrated. Thookka Mahotsavam is celebrated in Meenabharani, birth date of the Goddess is celebrated at Venkanji Temple.

Festivals

Devotees Offer Thookkam (A Special Ritual Followed In the Temple). Devotees offer Thookkam of 1 Year Baby. This Is Celebrated For 10 Days; Thookkam Is Performed For A Healthy Baby Child. This Is Most Popular Eve of the Temple. Celebrated during March / April