Thirumandhan kunnu

Thirmandhan Kunnu
By
P.R.Ramachander
This is one of the most important temples of Malabar. The temple is situated on a small
hill in Angadippuram which is near Perunthal manna, which is about 60 kilometer from
Shoranur. . Angadippuram is also a railway station in the Shoranur-Nilambur route. .
People who do not get married come to this temple for performing special pooja to get
married.
It is believed that this temple is associated with king Mandhatha, who was an ancestor
of Lord Rama., The story goes like this. Yuvanasva was a great king in the Ikshuvaku
dynasty. He did not have children. He happened to go to the ashram of Bhrugu
Maharishi. The sage agreed to do a special pooja. It happened that Yuvanasva drank the
divine water kept in a pot after pooja in the sage’s ashram. He became pregnant. A son
was delivered to him by cutting his stomach. When the child was crying for milk,
Devendra asked the child to suck its own thumb saying “Maam daasya (drink me)”. This
boy became a great king called Mandatha. He pleased Lord Shiva by doing great penance
and at last Lord Shiva appeared before him and gave him, Shiva’s own statue, which
goddess Parvathi worshipped for getting him as her husband. Mandatha consecrated this
Lingam in Thiru Mandhan Kunnu. When Goddess Parvathi came to know about it, she
was upset and sent her daughter Bhadrakali to recover it. There was Great War between
Bhadrakali and Mandatha. (commemorating this, there is a festival in this temple in the
month of Thula in which two groups of people throw Attanga (a wild fruit of a tree
growing in the temple) at each other). When Bhadrakali tried to snatch the Shiva Linga
from the hands of Mandatha, it split in to two. Lord Shiva and Parvathi appeared before
them. This is why the Shiva lingam installed in the temple is split in to two. Then King
Mandatha consecrated another temple for Bhadrakali, who was the daughter of Parvathi.
She faces north at this temple. When King Mandatha was nearing his end, two learned
Brahmins came to the temple. The king taught all the rituals to be followed to them and
entrusted the temples to them. He is supposed to have attained Samadhi then. His
Samadhi can be found in Kukshipara which is to the north of the main temple.
Some texts say that this temple was built in 343 AD. The ayilya star of the Kanni
month (September-October) is celebrated as the founder’s day. Some people say the
Goddess at Kodungalloor is the sister of the Bhadra Kali here. Among all the three gods,
Bhadra kali is considered most important. But any one visiting the temple should first
visit the Lord Shiva temple and The Parvathi temple before visiting the Bhadra Kali
temple. The Shiva lingam in this temple can be seen only during early morning and
during the Abhisheka before. Puffed rice is offered to the God. On the Northern side of
the Shiva temple is the place where Goddess Parvathi prayed to get him as her husband.
The Bhdrakali Statue is made out of Jack wood. And no Abhisheka is performed to
her. She has eight arms and holds sword., Soola, snake and Stick in her right hands and
Asura’s head, bell , sword and shield in her left hands, She sits with her left leg folded
and right leg hanging down. She appears as terrible to bad people and merciful to good
people. Once in a year Chandu (kum kum paste) is applied on the statue in a ceremony
called Chandattam. The western gate of this temple is always kept closed. It would open
only if the king of Vellatiri kingdom who built the temple comes to visit the temple. This
temple was initially under the management of this king.
Mangalya Pooja is extremely important in this temple. It is believed that if this is done,
the concerned person would get married soon. This is done in the month of Thula
(October-November) on the first Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The people doing this
Pooja should come to the temple at 9 AM. After the Pantheeradi pooja they should go to
the Parvathi temple. The chief priest will give them a garland made of leaf and betel leaf.
They have to eat the betel leaf. And wear one leaf per day from the garland on their
heads. Very large number of people from all over India come to this temple to attend this
pooja and get married. The pooram festival of this temple , which is held in the month of
Vruschigam (November-December) is a great festival of this temple.