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THIRUVAMBADI
SREEKRISHNA TEMPLE
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Prathishta: Sreekrishna
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Dist: Thrissur
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Thaluk:
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Panchayath:
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Festival:
Thrissur Pooram
The
main attraction among the festivals of Thiruvambady temple is the world
renowned Thrissur Pooram celebrated in the month of Medam { April-May}.
The Pooram Festival is noted for the gorgeous parades of fully caparisoned
elephants, percussion ensembles like Panchavadyam of Drum concerts and
dazzling fire works. The Divine Durbar on the ramparts of the Southern
Gopuram of Vadakkunnathan temple, in the evening hours of the Pooram
day when the 15 strong decorated elephants of Thiruvambady and Paramekkavu
standing face to face in an ocean of humanity, when the silken parasols
on elephants are changed minute after minute, here after here is a sight
which nowhere on earth can witness.
In the month of Chingam ( August – Sep) Ashtami Rohini- {The birthday
of LordKrishna} is being celebrated.
In the month of Kanni ( Sept- Oct ) Navarathri festival is conducted
to worship Vidya Saraswathy { Goddess of knowledge }
Every
year in the month of Thulam, {November} a special pooja called
Laksharchana is conducted. To commemorate the visit of Kuchela;
the classmate of Krishna to the royal palace of Krishna at Madurai,
Kuchela Dinam is being celebrated (December).
Vaikunta
Ekadasi is celebrated in the month of Dhanu (December-January)
on a grand scale. A week long Carnatic music festival precedes
the Ekadasi festival.
In the month of Dhanu Goddess Bhagavathy is worshipped by celebrating
Vela Festival.The consecration day of Lord Krishna is celebrated in the
month of Makaram { Jan-Feb}.
Eight
days long celebrations namely "Thiru Utsavam" to worship
Lord Krishna is also being celebrated in the month of Kumbha {
Feb – Mar}. Apart from these celebrations Bhagavatha Narayaneeya
Sapthahams, devotional discourses, Chantings etc are also conducted.
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Importance
/ Main offerings:
Annadanam
Annadanam
(Prasada Oottu) during the 8 days of Thiru utsavam, Sreekrishna
Jayanthi, Vaikunda Ekadasi, Vela festival, Prathishta Dinam and
Pooram finale have been a regular feature in the temple. During
Bhagavatha-Narayaneeya Sapthaha Yajnas also the listeners are provided
with food. Now it has been scheduled to start a daily annadanam
on a limited scale (for 50 people) from the middle of March 2004.
A day’s expenses is estimated as Rs.1000/-. Devotees are free to
contribute any amount to the Annadanam fund.
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Description:
Governed by a Committee elected from the members of Thiruvambady Thattakom,
the temple is a public property owned by the members. Unlike other famous
temples, since the power for decision making lies with the Committee
members, the developmental activities of the temple take place in an
admirable speed. Apart from the usual temple activities, The Thiruvambady
Devaswom (Devasthanam), as we call the administrative set up, is an integral
part of the main stream of the Thrissur Town and is involved in social,
educational and charitable activities too. Thiruvambady Devaswom is one
of the two partners conducting an annual trade fair come educational,
industrial & cultural exhibition under the style ' Thrissur Pooram
Exhibition' for 50 days synchronizing with Pooram Festival. Naturally
thus the Temple and Devaswom attracts a large number of tourists also.
Histroy
Most
of the devotees might get surprised to know that Thiruvambady temple
was earlier situated in a rural village called Edakkalathoor, located
20 Kms away in the north west direction of Trichur Town. The name
of the temple itself shows the importance of "Lord Krishna".
The surroundings of the temple, including the holy pond and Flag
Stuff; had become an inevitable part of day today life of the villagers.
The local administrator of that particular area was a respected gentleman
called "Moose".
Approximately in the Sixteenth century , a girl belonging to the Moose
family fell in love with a young man of another religious belief. This
made a lot of tension among the villagers. Conflicts between these sects
became a part of the village life. Some of the villagers foreseeing communal
riot decided to save the idols of the temple from being destroyed. They
detached the idol of Lord Krishna from the Sanctum Sanctorum and proceeded
to Thrissur. They reached "Kandanathu Mana" ( also renowned
as Kachanappilli Mana) seeking help. At that time only a couple were
residing there and they were in great sorrow because of not having kids.
When they saw the idol of Lord Sri Krishna they took the lord itself
as their kid and consecrated the idol in a hall within the premises.
The couple were worshippers of Kodungaloor Bhagavathi ( Goddess Devi
in Kodungaloor temple). Once while they were leaving the Kodungaloor
Temple after the usual visit, tears rolled down their cheeks, because
they felt that they would not be able to visit the temple again;
becuase of the ill health of the Nambudiri. On reaching the Mana,
the namboodiri (male brahmin) placed "olakkuda" (umbrella
made of palm leaves) in the nadumuttam (a vacant place surrounded
by rooms called "nalukettu"). Later he found that the
'Spirit' of the Devi has accompanied him on the Olakkuda.
He shifted the 'spirit' onto a pillar of that nadumuttam and started
worshiping Devi. Astrologers advised Namboodiri to consecrate Bhagavathi
on the left side of the sanctum of Lord Krishna. They did so since there
were no children to the couple, they transfered the ownership of the
Temple to the public. All the decisions on the temple affairs were taken
by a group of local people. Since then people sacrificed a lot, personally
and collectively for the upliftment of temple activities.
Shakthan
Thampuran
In
the eighteenth century, Sree Ramavarma (Shakthan Thampuran) became
the ruler of the state of Cochin. He had a special affection towards
Trichur. He cleared the teak forest surrounding Shree Vadakkunnathan
temple and decided to place big water tanks made of granite stones
to keep water for cows and animals moving the meadow. These tanks
were made by the labourers in Viyyur, a place 3 Kms north of Trichur
Town. Elephants were assigned with the job of drawing these tanks
from Viyyur to Trichur. While passing through the temple , the
elephants suddenly stopped and refused to draw the tanks. To enquire
the reason, Shakthan Thampuran came to the spot and found a temple
totally dilapidated and in a poor condition. Shakthan Thampuran
decided to renovate the entire temple structure and suddenly elephants
started their job of dragging water tanks to the Thekkinkad ground.
Shakthan Thampuran started the world renowned Trichur Pooram and
that turned out to be a healthy competition between Thiruvambady
and Paramekkavu temples. Because of the special affection towards
Lord Krishna, Shakthan Thampuran decided to place the golden idol
of Lord Krishna on the "Kolam" (a placard made of wood
decorated with gold templates featuring the idols of Gods and Goddesses
for whom the festival is conducted), while the Thidambu was to
be of Devi.
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Thanthri:
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Trustee:
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Address:
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Any
other information:
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Route: Thiruvambady
Temple is located on the Shoranur Road, 1km north of Swaraj
Round. Temple is easily accessible from Bus Station and Railway
Station.
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