Thrikkakara Sri Thrikkakara Vamanamoorthy Temple, Kerala

Address

Thrikkakara Sri Thrikkakara Vamanamoorthy Temple, Temple Road, Soubhagya Nagar, Vidya Nagar Colony, Thrikkakara, Kochi, Kerala 682022

Diety

Vamana(Vishnu), Thrikkakarayappan, Amman: Perunchelvanayagi, Vathsalyavalli

Introduction

Thrikkakara Vamanamoorthy Temple (also referred as Thirukatkarai Vamanamoorthy ) is one of the few Hindu temples in India dedicated to Lord Vamana/Vishnu. It is situated in Thrikkakara, Kochi in the state of Kerala, India. Located around 10 km north-east of the city center between Thrissur-Ernakulam highway (NH 47), Seaport-Airport Road, Cochin University of Science and Technology and Model Engineering College, it is a centre of celebrations and a place of origin for the popular Onam festival. The temple is around two millennia old. and is also listed as one of the 108 Divya Desams (divine places) Theertham: Kapila Theertham

Puranic Significance

The Bhagavata Purana describes that Vishnu descended as the Vamana avataram to restore the authority of Indra over the heavens, as it had been taken by Bali, a benevolent Asura King. Bali was the grandson of Prahlada, the son of Virochana. King Bali was generous, and engaged in severe austerities and penance and won the praise of the world. With the praise from his courtiers and others, he regarded himself as the all powerful in the world. Vamana, in the guise of a short Brahmin carrying a palm leaf umbrella, went to the king to request three paces of land. Bali consented, against the warning of his guru, Sukracharya. Vamanan then revealed his identity and enlarged to gigantic proportions to stride over the three worlds. He stepped from heaven to earth with the first step, from earth to the netherworld with the second. King Bali, unable to fulfill his promise, offered his head for the third. Vamana then placed his foot and gave the king immortality for his humility. Upon worshiping Mahabali and his ancestor Prahláda, he conceded sovereignty of Rasatala. Some texts also report that Vamana did not step into the Rasatala, and instead gave its rule to Bali and granting him the boon to become the next Indra. In giant form, Vamana is known as Trivikrama. The legend is associated with the temple and also with Ulagalantha Perumal Temple, Tirukoyilur and Ulagalantha Perumal Temple, Kanchipuram. As per another legend, a rich man who owned a plantain garden, did not get much yield from it. He donated a set of plantain to the temple, after which it started yielding as golden plantains. The groove came to be known as Nentiram Palam. The ruling king became suspicious of the change that it was his wealth in the garden and tortured a sage. The sage cursed the king. The king was afraid and in redemption, he consulted a group of sages. They suggested a thatch of bamboo and created a light with “Koraipul”, a grass which helped him redeemed from the curse.

Special Features

The temple complex, which is enclosed in a large area with picturesque surroundings, holds the main sanctum dedicated to Lord Vamana. The sanctum sanctorum of the main shrine houses the idol of Vishnu. The idol is in the form of Lord Vamana preparing to place his foot on the Brahmin Asura King Mahabali. Lord Parashurama is said to have established the temple. The temple also houses records containing the earliest mention of the celebration of the Onam festival dating to 861 Common Era.The temple is under the administration of the Travancore Devaswom Board.

Festivals

Thrikkakara temple is considered to be the centre of Onam celebrations over the world, as Thrikkakara is considered to have been the abode of the King Mahabali. The celebration of the Onam festival is the main religious event in the temple. The festival is celebrated over a period of ten days in the Malayalam month of Chingam. The temple houses the main deity Lord Vamana. During the Onam celebration period, a pyramidal statue symbolizing Lord Vamana is installed as a symbol of honour at all other sites of the celebration, and named Thrikkakara-appan. The temple is the site at which the king Mahabali is said to have been sent to the underworld Patala by Lord Vamana with his foot, hence marking the genesis of the Onam festival. The etymology of the name Thrikkakara (‘Thiru-kaal-kara’ meaning ‘place of the holy foot’) is also derived this way. Some features of the Onam festival at Thrikkakara