Tripuliyur Mahavishnu temple

Tripuliyur Mahavishnu temple

Compiled by

P.R.Ramachander

(Built by Bheema near Chenganoor   and a Divya Sthala of  Vaishnavites.)

   This temple is beloved to have been built   by Bheemasena    near Chenganoor (Please read    about Arunmula Parthasarathy temple and Trichithattu Maha Vishnu temple for more particulars).Thirumangai Azhvar and Nammazhvar has sung about this temple and because of that it has been included in the 108 Divya Kshetrams of Vaishnavites of Tamil nadu.

 Possibly when the temple was built there were large number of  tigers in this village as indicated by its name  Puliyur.  There lot of caves belonging to old stone age in this area.  There is a temple of Duryodhana , who is the greatest enemy of Bheema  in a place called Malanada   in Kollam district. So  the people of Puliyur village are banned from visiting   the Malanada village and worshipping    the God there  . The is temple is situated on a top of the hill called  Kari Manikkathu Mala. We have to climb eighteen steps to reach this temple. The sanctum of the temple is a very tall building and has a copper plated roof. The idol is that of Mahavishnu   with four arms, three arms holding conch , lotus flower and wheel and the fourth arm resting on his thigh. It stands on a  20 inch high platform and is in a standing posture its height being   three feet ten inches, The idol faces the east and the sanctum has  doors leading to all four directions. Ganapathi is a wall idol of the temple and there are sub temples for  Lord Shiva and Lord Sastha. There is also a Yakshi  in the form of a mirror    and also a Brahma Rakshas  worshipped at this temple.  It seems that once a Brahmin priest along with several Brahmins were killed in the sanctum sanctorum of this temple by a ruling family called Varayanna family. It seems some of the Brahmins went and hugged the Shiva idol but they were also killed. This incident is supposed to have happened in  end of 4^th centaury AD. Because of this the temple was not  maintained properly for another 200 years. Then the patrons of the temple   did all rituals necessary to remove the effect of the sin committed inside this temple.  The Brahma Rakshas represents the Brhamin who was killed , when he was hugging the idol. These  rituals were  done  by The Samiyar Madam of Trichur (Adhi Sankara is supposed to have established this madam.)  Some rights of the temple were also given to the chief of the Samiyar Madam. There is also a corner of the temple set apart for tribals of that surrounding forests to offer worship. There is also a four foot high pillara with a platform outside the temple believed to be the base of the stow Bheema used to cook his food.

  History records  of an offering in this temple called Mabharatha pattathanam (Possibly Dhanam to the Brahmins of Maha Bharatha,). The major offering nowadays to the temple is “Chathusatham” which is a sweetened rice, . The requirements for making this offering is  about 25 kg of rice, 101 coconuts , one and a half liters of ghee and 40kg Jaggery. Pal Payasam  and also Kadum Payasam are also offered  . There is a temple festival in the month of Makaram. Possibly because the tragedy that happened here, just before God is taken in procession, one employee asks three times “Is there any body here from Varayannakudi family?’ and the God is brought out only if there is firm no for answer, There is a kavadi yattam festival on the first of Makaram month, which was started about 30 years back. This Kavadi is brought from Pazhayathu devi temple  till this temple.

   Possibly because Bheema   who was a very huge size built it, the temple is very tall. Old   books about this temple mention that the Idol of Mahavishnu also has the power of Lord Narasimha murthy   instilled in him and because of this the Idol appears to be angry.   Mondays and Thursdays are considered as auspicious in this temple. The temple opens at 5.30 Am and is kept open   till 11 Am.and it again opens at 5.30 Pm and remains open till 8PM.