Taliparamba Sree Rajarajeshwara Temple Darshan Timings:
Morning: 5.00 AM to 12.00 Noon
Evening: 5.00 PM to 8.30 PM
Women are allowed only after 7.15 PM.
Children below 5 years are not allowed inside the temple.
Taliparamba Sree Rajarajeshwara Temple Pooja Timings:
Kanikkal (opening) – 5.00 AM
Natravat Pooja – 7.00 AM
Panthiradi Pooja – 8.00 AM
Ucha Pooja – 9.30 AM
Nada Adakkal (closing) – 12.00 Noon
Evening (opening) – 5.00 PM
Deeparadhana – After 6.00 PM
Athazha Pooja – 7.15 PM
Nada Adakkal (Closing) 8.30 PM
Taliparamba Sree Rajarajeshwara Temple Dress Code:
Men are expected to wear dhotis and not allowed to wear shirts or carry them in their hands while entering the shrine.
Women are allowed in sarees and salwars only.
Handbags or any other bags are not allowed inside the shrine.
About Taliparamba Sree Rajarajeshwara Temple:
Located 25 km from the city of Kannur, in Kerala, is the home of Sree Rajarajeshwara Temple in Taliparamba. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, it is said that the shrine was renewed by Parashurama and the exact date remains unknown. The temple is one of 108 Shiva Kshethrams that will build Parashurama and is considered a Shaktipeetham because it is believed to be the place where the leader of the goddess Sati fell.
Lord Shiva is known as Rajarajeshwara in this temple, Emperor of the Emperors, Perumthrikovilappan, Perumchellurappan or Thampuran. The Shivalingam installed here is considered one of the Jyotirlingas. The temple is well known for its unique rituals and for its pantheon of famous personalities who have visited this shrine.
Taliparamba Sree Rajarajeshwara Temple Legends:
The most important legend related to the temple says that Parashurama encountered an ancient sanctuary with a great spiritual power in ruins, which left him disconsolate and wanted to know how this shrine had landed in such a neglected state. To learn more about the shrine, he called Narada, who came here and told of the fall of the temple.
According to the story, a sage by the name of Sanaka and others would have hit a sun disk to decrease its heat. They mixed the dust that was forming while stirring with Amrutha, the divine nectar of immortality, and divided it into three parts, which were presented to Brahma, Parvathi and Shiva.
Parvathi gave the lingams to three kings who offered him intense prayers to invoke her. One of the three idols was given to Maandhatha in Thretha Yuga and the other two to Muchkunda and Shathasoman to Dwapara Yuga.
It has been recommended to each of them to place the idols in a place where no creature has died naturally or a corpse has been cremated. After a long search, Maandatha found a small place that matched the description and could only contain a small plate.
Origin Of Taliparamba Sree Rajarajeshwara Temple:
This region is the current Taliparamba and the king has installed the idol. With the passage of time, the Jyotirlinga were buried in the earth, spiritually vibrating the place and ending the Thretha Yuga. Then, in Dwapara Yuga, Muchkunda received the second lingam and the goddess also gave him the same instructions for the installation process. He was also lured to the same place where Maandhatha installed the first lingam. The second lingam also dissolved in the earth, but once again he made the place even more powerful. Then came Shathasoman, who naturally felt attracted to the same place and installed his lingam there. While performing the installation rituals, this idol also began to sink into the ground and the king prayed Agasthya to guide him.
The sage appeared and lit a ghee lamp and worshiped the Lord 12 times. When he started his 13th namaskaram, the lingam was firmly fixed and, as a result, the number of prostrations became 12 and a half. With the installation of the third lingam, the place has three times the power to visit a shrine.
Taliparamba Sree Rajarajeshwara Temple Ever-shining Lamp:
After hearing this story, Parashurama decided to renovate the temple for which he called upon Vishwakarma, the celestial architect, to do the needful. During the last stage of the renovation works, Agasthya muni made his appearance and after performing the abhishekam to the idol, he lit a ghee lamp which still remains burning with ghee offerings made by devotees in pitchers made of copper, gold and silver, which is considered as an important offering to the deity here.
Taliparamba Sree Rajarajeshwara Temple Entry Of Women:
The temple has a large number of customs which are followed here without the rationale being questioned. One such custom is the entry of women post the Athazha Pooja or the night worship which happens around 7.15 pm. While men are allowed to enter the shrine during the daytime, women are not allowed for the same, they can enter the sanctum only after the Athazha Pooja is completed.
It is believed that after the Athazha Pooja, Shiva is in a state where he is very pleased and in gracious temper, accompanied by his consort Parvathi. Hence, this is considered to be one of the most auspicious times for women to enter the premises as they would get to worship not only Shiva but also Parvathi Devi.
Taliparamba Sree Rajarajeshwara Temple Specialties:
Unlike other Shiva temples, where the Bilva leaves are offered to the lord, here they are not accepted, instead, tulasi or the Holy basil leaves are accepted. The reason behind this is that there are not aspects of Shiva being worshiped here but also Lord Vishnu. Generally Mondays are considered as important days to worship Shiva, but here it is Wednesday.
Unlike other temples in Kerala, where the Kodimaram or flag staff is found, this shrine does not have one along with it. There are no annual festivals held here and the deity is never taken outside the premises of the temple.
Nobody is allowed to prostrate before the lord on the Namaskara Mandapam. According to legends, Rama, on his return to Ayodhya from Lanka, is said to have offered prayers here and prostrated before the lord in the Namaskara Mandapam, as a mark of respect no one has been allowed to prostrate here.
