Thiruvanvandoor Mahavishnu Temple
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The Thiruvanvandoor Mahavishnu Temple is a
Hindu temple A Hindu temple, also known as Mandir, Devasthanam, Pura, or Kovil, is a sacred place where Hindus worship and show their devotion to Hindu deities, deities through worship, sacrifice, and prayers. It is considered the house of the god to who ...
dedicated to
Vishnu Vishnu (; , , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism, and the god of preservation ( ...
and located in Thiruvanvandoor,
Alappuzha District Alappuzha district (), is one of the 14 Districts of Kerala, districts in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kerala. It was formed as Alleppey district on 17 August 1957, the name of the district being changed to ''Alapp ...
,
Kerala Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...
,
South India South India, also known as Southern India or Peninsular India, is the southern part of the Deccan Peninsula in India encompassing the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana as well as the union territories of ...
. Constructed in the Kerala style of architecture, the temple is glorified in the ''
Nalayira Divya Prabandham The Naalayira Divya Prabandham () is a collection of 4,000 Tamil language, Tamil verses composed by the 12 Alvars. It was compiled in its present form by Nathamuni, Nāthamuni during the 9th–10th centuries. The work, an important liturgical ...
'', the early medieval
Tamil Tamil may refer to: People, culture and language * Tamils, an ethno-linguistic group native to India, Sri Lanka, and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka ** Myanmar or Burmese Tamils, Tamil people of Ind ...
canon of the
Alvar An alvar is a biological environment based on a limestone plain with thin or no soil and, as a result, sparse grassland vegetation. Often flooded in the spring, and affected by drought in midsummer, alvars support a distinctive group of prairie ...
saints from the 6th–9th centuries CE. It is one of the 108 ''
Divya Desams Divya Desam (, ) or Vaishnava Divya Desams are the 108 Vishnu and Lakshmi temples that are mentioned in the works of the Alvars, the poet-saints of the Sri Vaishnava tradition. By comparison, the Paadal Petra Sthalam are the 276 Shiva temples ...
'' dedicated to
Vishnu Vishnu (; , , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism, and the god of preservation ( ...
, who is worshipped as Paambanaiappan. The nearest railway station to the temple is located in
Chengannur Chengannur () is a Municipalities of Kerala, municipalityhttps://lsgkerala.gov.in/system/files/2017-10/localbodies.pdf in the Alappuzha district of Kerala, India. It is located south east of the district headquarters in Alappuzha and about ...
, while the nearest airport is
Trivandrum International Airport Thiruvananthapuram International Airport is an international airport that serves Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala, India. Established in 1932, it is the first airport in the state of Kerala and the fifth international airport of ...
. It is one of the five ancient shrines in the
Chengannur Chengannur () is a Municipalities of Kerala, municipalityhttps://lsgkerala.gov.in/system/files/2017-10/localbodies.pdf in the Alappuzha district of Kerala, India. It is located south east of the district headquarters in Alappuzha and about ...
area of Kerala, connected with the legend of
Mahabharata The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; , , ) is one of the two major Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epics of ancient India revered as Smriti texts in Hinduism, the other being the ''Ramayana, Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the events and aftermath of the Kuru ...
, where the five
Pandavas The Pandavas (Sanskrit: पाण्डव, aɳɖɐʋᵊ IAST: Pāṇḍava) is a group name referring to the five legendary brothers, Yudhishtira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadeva, who are central figures of the Hindu epic ''Mahabhara ...
are believed to have built one temple each;
Thrichittatt Maha Vishnu Temple The Thrichittatt Mahavishnu Temple (also called Thiruchenkundrur and Imayavarappan temple) is a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu, located in Chengannur, Alappuzha District, Kerala, South India. Constructed in the Architecture of Kerala, Kerala ...
by
Yudhishthira Yudhishthira (Sanskrit: युधिष्ठिर, ud̪ʱiʂʈʰiɾᵊ IAST: ''Yudhiṣṭhira''), also known as Dharmaputra, is the eldest among the five Pandavas, and is also one of the central characters of the ancient Indian epic ''Ma ...
,
Puliyur Mahavishnu Temple The Thripuliyoor Mahavishnu Temple (also called Mayapiran temple) is a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu and located in Puliyoor, Alappuzha District, Kerala, South India. Constructed in the Kerala style of architecture, the temple is glorifi ...
by
Bheema Bhima (, ), also known as Bhimasena (, ), is a hero and one of the most prominent characters in the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. As the second of the five Pandava brothers, Bhima was born to Kunti—the wife of King Pandu—fathered by Vayu, the ...
,
Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple The Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple is a Hindu temple located in Aranmula, a village in Pathanamthitta District, Kerala, South India, on the southern bank of Pamba river, the third longest river in Kerala. It is dedicated to the Lord Krishna, who ...
by
Arjuna Arjuna (, , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɾd͡ʒun̪ə is one of the central characters of the ancient Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. He is the third of the five Pandava brothers, and is widely regarded as the most important and renowned among them. ...
, Thiruvanvandoor Mahavishnu Temple by
Nakula Nakula () is a major character in the ancient Indian epic, the ''Mahabharata.'' He is the elder twin brother of Sahadeva and the fourth of the five Pandava brothers. He is the son of Divine twins, twin physician gods, Ashvins, and Madri, the ...
and
Thrikodithanam Mahavishnu Temple Thrikodithanam Mahavishnu Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu and located in Thrikkodithanam, Kottayam District, Kerala, South India. Constructed in the Architecture of Kerala, Kerala style of architecture, the temple is glorified in t ...
by
Sahadeva Sahadeva () was the youngest of the five Pandava brothers in the ancient Indian epic, the '' Mahabharata''. He and his twin brother Nakula were the sons of Madri, one of the wives of the Pandava patriarch Pandu, and Ashvini Kumaras, the ...
. The temple is open from 4 am to 11:00 am and 5 pm to 8 pm and is administered by
Travancore Devaswom Board Travancore Devaswom Board is statutory and autonomous body managing around 1252 temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a place of worship, a building used for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. By convention, the ...
of the
Government of Kerala The Government of Kerala (abbreviated as GoK), also known as the Kerala Government, is the administrative body responsible for governing the Indian States and territories of India, state of Kerala. The government is led by a chief minister, who ...
.


Legend and history

It is one of the five ancient shrines in the
Chengannur Chengannur () is a Municipalities of Kerala, municipalityhttps://lsgkerala.gov.in/system/files/2017-10/localbodies.pdf in the Alappuzha district of Kerala, India. It is located south east of the district headquarters in Alappuzha and about ...
area of Kerala, connected with the legend of
Mahabharata The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; , , ) is one of the two major Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epics of ancient India revered as Smriti texts in Hinduism, the other being the ''Ramayana, Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the events and aftermath of the Kuru ...
. Legend has it that the
Pandava The Pandavas (Sanskrit: पाण्डव, aɳɖɐʋᵊ IAST: Pāṇḍava) is a group name referring to the five legendary brothers, Yudhishtira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadeva, who are central figures of the Hindu epic ''Mahabhara ...
princes, after crowning
Parikshit Parīkṣit (, ) was a Kuru king who reigned during the Middle Vedic period (12th–9th centuries BCE). Along with his son and successor, Janamejaya, he played a decisive role in the consolidation of the Kuru state, the arrangement of Vedic ...
as king of
Hastinapura Hastinapur is a city in the Meerut district in the Indian States and territories of India, state of Uttar Pradesh. ''Hastinapura'' is described as the capital of the Kuru Kingdom in Hindu texts such as the ''Mahabharata'' and the Puranas; it is ...
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 The Thrichittatt Mahavishnu Temple (also called Thiruchenkundrur and Imayavarappan temple) is a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu, located in Chengannur, Alappuzha District, Kerala, South India. Constructed in the Architecture of Kerala, Kerala ...
by
Yudhishthira Yudhishthira (Sanskrit: युधिष्ठिर, ud̪ʱiʂʈʰiɾᵊ IAST: ''Yudhiṣṭhira''), also known as Dharmaputra, is the eldest among the five Pandavas, and is also one of the central characters of the ancient Indian epic ''Ma ...
,
Puliyur Mahavishnu Temple The Thripuliyoor Mahavishnu Temple (also called Mayapiran temple) is a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu and located in Puliyoor, Alappuzha District, Kerala, South India. Constructed in the Kerala style of architecture, the temple is glorifi ...
by
Bhima Bhima (, ), also known as Bhimasena (, ), is a hero and one of the most prominent characters in the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. As the second of the five Pandava brothers, Bhima was born to Kunti—the wife of King Pandu—fathered by Vayu, the ...
,
Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple The Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple is a Hindu temple located in Aranmula, a village in Pathanamthitta District, Kerala, South India, on the southern bank of Pamba river, the third longest river in Kerala. It is dedicated to the Lord Krishna, who ...
by
Arjuna Arjuna (, , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɾd͡ʒun̪ə is one of the central characters of the ancient Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. He is the third of the five Pandava brothers, and is widely regarded as the most important and renowned among them. ...
, Thiruvanvandoor Mahavishnu Temple by
Nakula Nakula () is a major character in the ancient Indian epic, the ''Mahabharata.'' He is the elder twin brother of Sahadeva and the fourth of the five Pandava brothers. He is the son of Divine twins, twin physician gods, Ashvins, and Madri, the ...
and
Thrikodithanam Mahavishnu Temple Thrikodithanam Mahavishnu Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu and located in Thrikkodithanam, Kottayam District, Kerala, South India. Constructed in the Architecture of Kerala, Kerala style of architecture, the temple is glorified in t ...
by
Sahadeva Sahadeva () was the youngest of the five Pandava brothers in the ancient Indian epic, the '' Mahabharata''. He and his twin brother Nakula were the sons of Madri, one of the wives of the Pandava patriarch Pandu, and Ashvini Kumaras, the ...
. Cultural Heritage of Kerala 2008, pp. 44-45 Rao 2012, pp. 17-20 The famous Pamba river is near the temple and hence the name of the deity is Paambanaiappan. As per another legend, the temple is believed to be consecrated by the sage
Bhrigu Bhrigu (, ) is a rishi in Hindu tradition. He is one of the seven great sages, the Saptarshis, and one of the many Prajapatis (the facilitators of creation) created by Brahma. He was the first compiler of predictive astrology and also the aut ...
. The temple is counted as one of the five temples built and worshipped by Pandavas from
Mahabharatha The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; , , ) is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India revered as Smriti texts in Hinduism, the other being the '' Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the events and aftermath of the Kurukshetra War, a war of succes ...
. Earliest references to this temple appear in the poems and hymns composed by the greatest of Alvar saints -
Nammalvar Nammalvar was one of the twelve Alvars, Alvar saints of Tamil Nadu, India, who are known for their affiliation to the Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism. The verses of the Alvars are compiled as the Nalayira Divya Prabandham, Naalayira Divya Prab ...
, in circa 800 CE. Stone inscriptions in the temple date it back to the Second
Chera The Chera dynasty ( or Cēra, ), also known as Keralaputra, from the early historic or the Sangam period in Tamil-speaking southern India, ruled over parts of present-day states Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The Cheras, known as one of the mu-ventar ...
Empire (800 - 1102 CE). The temple is open from 4 am to 11:00 am and 5 pm to 8 pm and is administered by
Travancore Devaswom Board Travancore Devaswom Board is statutory and autonomous body managing around 1252 temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a place of worship, a building used for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. By convention, the ...
of the
Government of Kerala The Government of Kerala (abbreviated as GoK), also known as the Kerala Government, is the administrative body responsible for governing the Indian States and territories of India, state of Kerala. The government is led by a chief minister, who ...
.


Architecture

The temple is built in Kerala style architecture, which is common in all temples in the South Indian state of Kerala in Eastern axis. The temple has a two storeyed
gopuram A ''gopuram'' or ''gopura'' ( Tamil: கோபுரம், Telugu: గోపురం, Kannada Kannada () is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly in the state of Karnataka in southwestern India, and spoken by a minority of th ...
or a gateway tower, with the upper story having wooden trails covering the ''Kottupura'' (a hall of drum beating during festivals). A rectangular wall around the temple, called ''Kshetra-Madilluka'' pierced by the gateways, encloses all the shrines of the temple. The metal plated flagpost or '' dvajasthambam'' is located axial to the temple tower leading to the central sanctum and there is a ''Deepastamba'', which is the light post. ''Chuttuambalam'' is the outer pavilion within the temple walls. The central shrine and the associated hall is located in a rectangular structure called ''Nallambalam'', which has pillared halls and corridors. Rao 2012, pp. 12-13 Between the entrance of ''Nallambalam'' to the sanctum, there is a raised square platform called ''Namaskara Mandapa'' which has a pyramidal roof. ''Thevrapura'', the kitchen used to cook offering to the deity is located on the left of ''Namaskara Mandapa'' from the entrance. ''Balithara'' is an altar is used for making ritualistic offering to demi-gods and the festive deities. The central shrine called ''Sreekovil'' houses the image of the presiding deity. It is on an elevated platform with a single door reached through a flight of five steps. Either sides of the doors have images of guardian deities called
dvarapala A Dvarapala or Dvarapalaka (Sanskrit, "door guard"; IAST: ' ) is a door or gate guardian often portrayed as a warrior or fearsome giant, usually armed with a weapon - the most common being the Gada (mace), ''gada'' (mace). The dvarapala statue i ...
kas. As per Kerala rituals, only the main priest called
Thantri Thantri or Tantri is the Vedic head who sets the rules in temples of Kerala and in coastal Karnataka in southern India. It is a hereditary position. The thantri installs the ''murti'' of the deity called ''Prana Pratishtha, prana pratishtha'', ...
and the second priest called Melshanthi alone can enter the ''Sree Kovil''. The central shrine has a circular plan with the base built of granite, superstructure built of laterite and conical roof made of terracata tile supported from inside by a wooden structure. The lower half of ''Sree Kovil'' consists of the basement, the pillar or the wall, called or and the entablature called in the ratio 1:2:1, in height. Similarly the upper half is divided into the neck called , the roof tower called and the conical (made of copper) in the same ratio. The roof projects in two levels to protect the inner structure from heavy rains during monsoon. The roof of the temple and some of the pillars have lavish wood and stucco carvings depicting various stories of ancient epics,
Ramayana The ''Ramayana'' (; ), also known as ''Valmiki Ramayana'', as traditionally attributed to Valmiki, is a smriti text (also described as a Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epic) from ancient India, one of the two important epics ...
and
Mahabharata The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; , , ) is one of the two major Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epics of ancient India revered as Smriti texts in Hinduism, the other being the ''Ramayana, Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the events and aftermath of the Kuru ...
. The outer walls around the sanctum have a series of wooden frames housing an array of lamps, which are lit during festive occasions. The temples have paintings on its walls dating back to early 18 century. Cultural Heritage of Kerala 2008, p. 151


Festival

The annual
Tiruvaymoli The ''Tiruvaymoli'' ( ) is a work of Tamil Hindu literature. Comprising 1102 verses, it was composed in the ninth century CE by the Hindu poet-saint Nammalvar, who is regarded as the foremost of the Alvar saints of South India. It is the most prom ...
festival is celebrated in commemoration of
Nammalvar Nammalvar was one of the twelve Alvars, Alvar saints of Tamil Nadu, India, who are known for their affiliation to the Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism. The verses of the Alvars are compiled as the Nalayira Divya Prabandham, Naalayira Divya Prab ...
, the saint poet of 8th century. The annual 51-day festival to commemorate the installation of idol of Sreekrishna is concluded with Gajamela, where a parade of 21 caparisoned elephants is held. The floats depict depicting Puranic themes and are accompanied by music players playing Mayuranrithom, Krishnanattom, Karakom, Nadaswarom, Panchavadyam, and Pancharimelom. A team of Pancharimelam performers offer rendition during the event. During the evening
Kathakali ''Kathakali'' (International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: Kathakaḷi ) is a traditional form of Indian Classical Dance, and one of the most complex forms of Theatre of India, Indian theatre. It is a play of verses. These vers ...
performers where artiste perform various historic themes.


See also

*
Temples of Kerala A temple (from the Latin ) is a place of worship, a building used for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. By convention, the specially built places of worship of some religions are commonly called "temples" in Engli ...


References

;


External links

* * {{Famous Vishnu temples Hindu temples in Alappuzha district ml:തിരുവൻവണ്ടൂർ മഹാവിഷ്ണു-ഗോശാലകൃഷ്ണക്ഷേത്രം