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Thrichittatt Maha Vishnu & Pandava Temple Timings, History

The Thrichittatt Mahavishnu Temple (also called Thiruchenkundrur and Imayavarappan temple) is a Hindu temple dedicated to Supreme God Vishnu and located in Chengannur, Alappuzha District, Kerala, South India. Constructed in the Kerala style of architecture, the temple is glorified in the Divya Prabandha, by Nammalwar, one of the saint poets of the 8th century. It is one of the 108 Divyadesam dedicated to Krishna, an avatar of Vishnu, who is worshipped as Imayavarappan. The nearest railway station to the temple is located in Chengannur, while the nearest airports are Trivandrum International Airport and Nedupumpassery Airport Ernakulam.

It is one of the five ancient shrines in the Chengannur area of Kerala, connected with the legend of Mahabharata, where the five Pandavas are believed to have built one temple each; Thrichittatt Maha Vishnu Temple by Yudhishthira, Puliyur Mahavishnu Temple by Bheema, Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple by Arjuna, Thiruvanvandoor Mahavishnu Temple by Nakula and Thrikodithanam Mahavishnu Temple by Sahadeva. The temple is administered by Travancore Devaswom Board of the Government of Kerala.

Thrichittatt Pandava Temple

Thrichittatt Maha Vishnu & Pandava Temple Timings:

Morning: 5:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Evening: 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM

Thrichittatt Maha Vishnu & Pandava Temple History:

Legend has it that the Pandava princes, after crowning Parikshit as king of Hastinapura left on a pilgrimage. On arriving on the banks of river Pamba, each one is believed to have installed a tutelary image of Krishna; Thrichittatt Maha Vishnu Temple by Yudhishthira, Puliyur Mahavishnu Temple by Bheema, Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple by Arjuna, Thiruvanvandoor Mahavishnu Temple by Nakula and Thrikodithanam Mahavishnu Temple by Sahadeva.

During the Mahabharata war, Yudhishthira, the head of the Pandavas, who never before uttered a lie, lied in one instant to defeat his Guru, Dronacharya. To overcome the sin of the lie, he underwent penance worshiping the lord here. Imayavar (Devas) came to this place prior to Yudhishthira and hence the deity here is referred as Imayavarappar. There is another version that the Pandavas worshipped the idols during the reign and started installing them in different places during the end of the reign.

Maha Vishnu & Pandava Temple

Thiruchittattu temple is considered to be one among the 108 most sacred place of worship, where Lord Vishnu himself resides.

The Temple is believed to have been built by Devas along the banks of Chittar, a tributary of Holy River Pampa before mankind was born. The temple was then renovated, by Yudhishthira in Dvapara Yuga. The temple is considered to be the primary temple among the five Mahavishnu Temples built by Pandavas.

It is believed that long before Yudhishthira renovated the temple, the Devas undertook pilgrimages to this spot many a time for the purpose of making special prayers and requests to the Lord to bless them so that they can ensure that the objective of harmony between the three worlds is fulfilled

After their prayers Lord Vishnu, presented himself to bless the Devas and also for them to get a glimpse of the Lord, filling the devotees with a sense of joy and wiping off their sorrows

In Dvapara Yuga, the Pandavas resided at present-day Chengannur for a large duration of their exile, hence, after the passing of Lord Krishna, Sage Brighu persuaded the Pandavas to consecrate four sacred temples in the vicinity, to the Lord, who was their guide and protector in Mahabharata

This would allow daily offerings and pooja to be carried out on the benevolent Lord, in the form of the Thevaram, not only by Pandavas but also by all the people who helped Pandavas survive during the exile. The Pandavas maintained and performed Pooja in the five temples till their Swargarohanam (Auspicious journey to Vaikuntam)

Yudhishthira on the renovation of the temple installed the Thevara Moorthy of Lord Vishnu with a tutelary image of Lord Krishna. This unique idol is facing east in a standing posture, with four arms, holding the – Shankh (Conch) in the upper right hand, Sudharshana Chakra (Discus) in the upper left hand, Lotus in the lower right hand. The lower left hand is free, however, Lord Vishnu idols generally have a Gada (Mace) in this hand.

Yudhishthira after having a holy bath, installed the idols after immersing it in the Pushkarani (Pond), filling the Conch with its water and performed the first Pooja after installation

Hence, the pond at Thrichittat is named as – Amurtha Pushkarani, since the idol was immersed in it and as – Shankh Theertham, on the occasion of the pond’s water filling the Conch, therefore, worshipping at Shankh Theertham, is considered equivalent to that of Sree Kovil (Sanctum Sanctorum of the Temple), and full darshanam is complete when both places are worshipped.

Thrichittatt Maha Vishnu & Pandava Temple Address:

Mundancavu Chengannur p.o,
Kerala 689121.

Thrichittatt Maha Vishnu & Pandava Temple Timings, History

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