Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Chelakkara Sri Narasimha swami Temple

 

Chelakkara Sri Narasimha swami  Temple     

 

 

Compiled from various  sources

By

P.R.Ramachander 

 

Chelakkara is a small town in Thalapilly  Thaluk (granary of kerala)  of Trichur Disrtict, inside  the valley  of Machattu mala .

There  ia an agraharam of nearly  120 houses(now about  15 ) in this  Village  . This agraharam was built around one  of the ancient temple of Narasimha  Murthy , which appears like  a golden thilaka  to the agraharam.

People believe  that this temple  is about 1000  years old.Lord Narasimha murthy faces east  .

  There  is a  story about  this temple .It seems Sri Padmananbhacharya(originally  a Nambudiri) , who was a important Sishya of Adhi Sankara (some people say it was only a great sage)  went  to the forest  near  here to do Thapas(penance) and there he saw a  hunter who asked him why he was  visiting this dark  forest. Then the acharya told him , that he  came in search of an animal, which had lion’s  head , human body and had hairs  and nail like  a lion. He also said that he would not return from forest  unless  he  finds this  animal.The hunter took an oath that  he will find that animal  , tie it and bring it to him.The hunter without food and sleep started  searching for  that animal.Lord Narasimha took pity on him and appeared  to him.The hunter took wild climbers  in the forest , tied that animal  and brought  before Padmanabhacharya .But the acharya saw only wild climbers but  not the animal. Then the hunter  took him to  the place where he caught  the animal.There the acharya could see  Lord Narasimha murthy  in his mind.He immediately built a temple  for Narasimha  Murthy there and started worshipping him. This temple was given for management  for  “Palakattu perada mana”  and palakkattu mana”.Later it came under the management  of “manithara mana”  and Kaippancheri mana” .The king of Cochin by a  record gave this temple  to these manas,in Malayalam year 971  in the month of vrischikam (approximately 220 years back)

 

The pretty form of Lord Vishnu with four hands was consecrated in this temple., the temple also  has sub temples  ofLord  Ganesa (who grants all wishes of Devotees) and Lord Sastha who pardons all sins by devotees  worshipping him.The  temple was managed  under kerala  thanthric system  and for several years  the Priest  was an Embrandiri. There  is a strong belief   that  Elephants should  not visit  this temple  and if they enter  they will die.

 

  There is a belief that Tipu sultan  during  his invasion of Malabar  attacked  this temple.

 Though  the temple is nearly  1000 years old ,, The tamil Brahmins  built an agraharam(otha madam) and settled  down possibly  300  years  back .Some time afterwards  they started managing the temple

 

They  introduced  a small chariot  function in this  temple  during Thiruvadira.Many Brahmin families   Started  giving OOttu(feast   for  Brahmins here).They also started  Ganapathi homams in this temple. They celebrated Swarga vatthil ekadasi, Thai poosam  and Rama NavamiThey  celebrated  their  festivals  in side  the temple.

They built  a hall called  (Samooha  Madam)  for doing  religious  functions  and called it  Samooha Madam

 

 The major celebration of the temple is the 'navarathri' festival extending up to

 dwadasi day, ie. 12 days of festivities. As per the traditions followed by earlier generations, groups of families who were/are residing in chelakkara gramam conduc the functions in a fitting manner. 11 days are celebrated by the groups and the 12th day is known as 'dwadashi vilakku' or 'kuttikal vilakku' is the most famous of 

the 12 days.All families having roots in chelakkara, wherever they are attend this festival.

In the year 1972, Swami Jayendra saraswathi  of Kanchi Mutt visited  this temple  and requested  to repair  the temple and conduct  Kumbabhishekam ,From then on the Brahmins make it a point to repair  the temple and conduct a kubhbhishekam  based on deva prasnam and conduct Kumbabhishekam almost once  in 10-12  years,Kumbhabhishekams have been conducted earlier in 1972, 1996 and 2010.

This year the Kumbhabhishekam  is going to be conducted on grand scaleon 20-5-2024

 

The Pin Code  of Chelakkara is 680586.It is 12km  from Shoranur Jn

 

Temple worshipping hours Morning Normal days :

Morning 5.30  AM to ( Am

Evening  5.45 PM to 7.45 pm

 

Howver on  festival days temple will be kept open from 5 Am to 10 Am  and 5.30 PM to 8.45  pm

 

On Mahaganapathy homam days: 3.00 - 9.15 am

Evening

5.00 pm - 7.45 pm

 

How to reach:-

 

By train

step down in Shoranur junction (14 km) or Wadakkanchery (15 km)or Thrissur(34km)

By bus

From thrissur: Thrissur - thiruvillwamala busThrissur - elanadu busThrissur - mayannur bus

From shoranur:Shoranur - chelakkara via painkulam Shoranur - chelakkara via panjal

From wadakkanchery:Thrissur - thiruvillwamala busThrissur - elanadu busThrissur - mayannur bus

from palakkad:palakkad - alathur - pazhayannur -chelakkarapalakkad - lakkidi koottupatha-thiruvillwamala-chelakkara