Thirumandhamkunnu Bhagavthy Temple Timings:
Morning: 4.00 AM to 12.00 Noon
Evening: 4.00 PM to 8.00 PM
Thirumandhamkunnu Bhagavthy Temple Pooja Timings:
MathruSala:
Usha Pooja 6.00 AM (Before Dawn)
Pantheeradi Pooja 9.30 AM
Ucha Pooja 11.30 AM
Thirinju Pantheeradi Pooja 4.30 PM
Athazha Pooja (After Sunset) 8.00 PM
Sree Moola Sthanam:
Morning Pooja Before 7.00 AM after Usha Pooja at Mathrusala
Ucha Pooja 10.30 AM
Athazha Pooja (After Sunset) 7.30 PM
DEEPARADHANA ACCORDING TO SUNSET
Thirumandhamkunnu Bhagavthy Temple History:
Thirumandhamkunnu Bhagavthy temple is one of the ancient and famous Mahakshethras of Kerala. This shrine is the foremost in the Bhadrakali temples. This Temple is located at Angadippuram in Malappuram district. The temple stands prominently on the top of a hillock with an attractive look and majestic appearance. The scenic beauty, the bliss of solitude and mental pease imparted by this place will ever be in the mind of a devotee who had at least been once to this place.
The King Mandhatha of Surya dynasty ruled the country for a long period. He then gave away the kingdom to his successors and chose to meditate on Lord Siva and attain the lord’s feet at the end. Siva was pleased with his penance appeared before the king and offered him any boon. The king prayed to the lord for an idol to worship until his death. Siva gave him the most holly Siva linga at Kailas, which was too dear to him and which used to be worshipped by Parvathy and the disappeared.
Carrying the Siva linga on head mandhatha started his downward journey from Kailas and reached the hill now known as Thirumandhamkunnu. A spring with crystal clear water flowed along the northern slop of the hill. Many beautiful birds chirped in the jungle. Wild animals like lion, tiger, and elephant roamed about in the wilderness in full harmony forgetting their traditional enmity. Different kinds of trees and plants grew in the region and gave out sweet smell into the atmosphere. The surrounding attracted the king. Feelings of idol on his head heavy he placed it on the ground at immediately the linga got stuck into the earth.
Lord Siva had gifted the linga to the king when his consort parvathy was away for her bath. When parvathy turned up for worship the Siva linga was not there. She got upset on enquiry she know that it was presented to the king mandhatha, by her husband. Being too much attached to it she wanted the linga back. Siva told her that he had no objection in her trying to get it back.
Parvathy no offered Bhadra kali and a host of bhoothas to rush up and get back the Siva lingam from the king. With the army of Bhoothas Kali reached the northern slope of Thirumandha hill. The brightness emitted by the Linga installed by Mandnatha was so great that it dazzled the eyes of kali and bhoothas and they were unable to move up the hills. So they started throwing up the weapons from the foot of the hill. The ascetic attending on mandhatha were unarmed but tried to defend themselves with whatever things they had. These being insufficient to protect them they plucked Attanga nuts from their creeper plants, which were available in plenty and threw them at the enemy. Because of the power of Lord Siva and the mandra power of Mandhatha the nuts got changed into arrows instantly. Kali and her Bhoothas could not resist them the fight lasted for 15 days.
The age-old custom of “ATTANGA YERU” on first of Thulam (The Malayalam month) on the new moon day of the same month in the forenoon before pantheerady pooja refers to the legendary fight between mandhatha and kali.
Expecting defeat Mahamaya took her viswaroopa. She had an elephant in an ear and a lion in the other as the earring. Seeing this form the ascetics fell down senseless. When mahamaya in this form reached the hilltop mandhatha was also helpless. He embraced the sivalinga kali tried to capture it by force. In this struggle that followed the linga got split into two. In the “Jyothis” that arose from it, “THRIMOORTHIS” (Brahma, Vishnu and Siva) and Parvathy appeared on the spot.
Parvathy told Mandhatha this idol was very dear to me. Still, I do not want to take it away from you against the wishes of my husband. Separation from it is also difficult for me. So I will enter that linga and remain here forever. My daughter kali is not different from me. Actually, she came here first. Let her also be installed near me facing north and have all poojas and festival performed. So same parvathy disappeared into the idol. This spot is the “SREEMOOLASTHANAM”. The Siva linga here is still split condition. Its position is below the “peedam” and “Prabhamandalam” and can be seen only during the abhisheka before the usha pooja and “Malarnivedia” to the deity.
As ordered by Parvathy, Bhagavathy with Sapthamathrukkal, Veerabhadran and Ganapaty were installed facing north. This is called “Mathrusala”. Pooram, Pattu and all such festivals intended for this goddess.
When Sree Parvathy appears infant Ganapathy was also with her. This infant Ganapathy also been installed at sreemoolasthanam.
Sree Parvathy appeared facing west. The installations of Sivalinga at Sreemoolasthanam were facing east. It was thus for necessary to have two darshan openings one to the east and the other to west. The family descendants of “Valluva Konathiri” do not generally open the one on the west except for darshan. On either side of the doorway, there are two openings through which other worshippers can have darshan of the deity. But in recent past, the restrictions have been modified. After each pooja the door is kept open for some time for darshan of the deity by devotees.
Mandhatha spent many years at thirumandhamkunnu in meditation and thapusu. At last, he knew it was time for him to leave this world. He was thinking of entrusting the temple to someone for perfect upkeep and maintenance when two Brahmins came there. Mandhatha told them his desire gave them a Grandha containing instructions on the performance of poojas and entrusted the shrine to them. He then retired to the jungle nearby now known as “KUKSHIPPARAKKAD” and freed himself from this world of mortals by his yogic powers. Bhakthas who go round this jungle paying homage to pick out a leaf from the growing plants and keep it in hair with at most reverence. This area is still a protected jungle. In the Devaprashna conducted in 1959 it was observed that an idol of mandhatha should be installed here and poojas, performed. The temple priests before pooja every Malayalam month. The annual pooja on Chithra in midhunam on Mandhatha is on special significance.
Two Brahmins entrusted with the upkeep of temple, one cleared the jungle around the idol and hence came to be known as “KATTILLAMUTTAM”. The other prepared pavilion for prathishta and came to be known as “PANTHALAKODE”. The thanthri of thirumandhamkunnu temple is still descendent from either of these families. The nair karyasthan who was with them was given the title “chathathumarar” and made the blower of holy conch in the temple. The Namboodiri’s informed the news to Vadakkara swaroopam raja that was subordinate chieftain of valluvanadu raja holding the title mannarmala raja. He immediately rushed to the spot (Seeing the over-lord of the hill the goddess got up and paid homage to him. This humility of Devi-the sustainer of three worlds-made the raja blink in shame and) he prayed to the goddess to see him as a son. He then presented an elephant to the goddess and worshipped her from its rear, standing in its shadow. His descendants also followed the same practice. Even now direct darshan of thirumandhamkunnu Bhagavathy is not permissible to mannarmala raja.
The first Vallavaraja who took over the control of the temple entrusted its upkeep and maintenance to the local feudal lords “ETTUVEETIL ACHANS” and made them trusty. Erukalikara nair was made kavudaya nair. Sreemoolasthanam does not have a roof, which is evidence of it having been a kavu.
The painting on the walls of the mathrusala throws light to this legend. These paintings which are in lying with the wall painting at suchindram, Pundarikkapuram, vaikom and Guruvayoor were executed in the year 1944.
Thirumandhamkunnu Bhagavthy Temple Festivals:
The important festivals at Thirumandhamkunnu are kalampattu from Vrischikam Ist to the Pooram festival in Meenam extending for 11 days with twenty- one Araattu from makayiram star. Other functions held in the temple are Laksharchana at Sreemoolasthanam and the Mangalya pooja on the Ist Friday in Thulam.
1) Kalampattu
2) Kootticha Procession
3) Mangalya Pooja
4) Rigveda Laksharchana
5) Prasadam Ottu
6) Pooram
7) Valiyakandam Nadeel
8) Attanga Eru
9) Njaralathu Sangeetholsavam
10) Chanthattam
11) Nira
Thirumandhamkunnu Bhagavathy Temple – Famous for Mangalya Pooja offered to Lord Ganapthhy
About Thirumandhamkunnu Bhagavthy Temple Idol:
The Siva Linga installed at Sreemoolasthanam has all divinities according to Vedamanthras. In addition, it has Deva divinity. Rishi divinity and human divinity. Thus it is supreme in all respects. According to legend, it was first worshipped daily by Sree Parvathy. Rishi Mandhatha worshipped it subsequently for a long time and then by two holy Deva like Brahmins, in accordance with the instructions of Rishi codified in Grandha. All these contribute to infinite and unsurpassed Chaithanya of Linga. It is believed that Parvathy, Parameswaran and Durga- the three divinities – are ever present in that Idol.
The Idol of Thirumandhamkunnilamma in Mathrusala is of “daru”. A number of Bhadrakali temples in Kerala have daru idols, but one at Thirumandhamkunnu excels them all. In mathrusala installation is aRurujit – one who conquered Ruru the Asura – The idol is about six feet high, in a sitting posture with the left leg bent up to the lap and the right one freely hanging down. The figure of Devi with the brilliant crown, the glittering ornaments covering the breast bangles and anklets, the head of Darika and weapons held in the eight hand, though fierce as a whole is captivating. While standing before the diety with bowed the bhakta experiences Devils motherly affection at heart.
The doorway to the Sreekovil is not directly in front of the idol as is the case usually in most temples. Here it is slightly shifted to the right. The divinity of Goddess is transferred by avahanam to a metallic bimba and abhishekam etc., is done on the replica. The bimba is used as thidambu for mounting on an elephant during festivals.
The idols of Sapthamathrukkal and temple child are made from the same seasoned jack wood from which the idol of the main deity was carved out. The legend about the temple child is that Parvathy and Parameswara laid a small lad in the scorching sun to calm down the angry and ferocious Devi returning with the thunderous roars after killing Darika. That lad later became the temple child and subsequently the temple ward (kshethrapalaka). This idol is said to be growing slightly every year!
“Ishnika” was the name of the craftsman who carved out these idols. Apart from the main at Mathru sala, the Kshetrapala and Sree Moolasthanam Siva, Nagas and Brahmarakshas are also installed in the temple. There is also an idol of Child Ganapathy at the foot the age-old peepal tree standing on the northern side of the temple.
How to Reach Thirumandhamkunnu Bhagavthy Temple:
By Road:
Angadippuram is 4 km from Perinthalmanna. The nearest bus stop is the Angadipuram Bus stand at the distance is just 500 m from the temple.
By Rail:
The nearest railway station is Angadipuram Railway station and its just 2 km from the temple.
By Air:
Calicut International Airport is the nearest airport which is just 42 km from the temple.
Thirumandhamkunnu Bhagavthy Temple Distance:
Palakkadu 70 KM
Calicut 70 KM
Thrichur 70 KM
Nilambur 50 KM
Guruvayoor 55 KM
Kadampuzha 32 KM
Angadippuram 3 KM
Thirumandhamkunnu Bhagavthy Temple Address:
Sree Thirumandhamkunnu Bhagavthy Temple Devaswam,
Post Box No.5,
Angadippuram – 679321
Malappuram District,
Kerala.
PHONE: 91 4933 258820, 258555
FAX : 91 4933 253820
