Kaikkakom Chamundi temple , Trivandrum

Kaikkakom  Chamundi  temple  , Trivandrum

Compiled by

P.R.Ramachander

(many of you go to Trivandrum.Please do not miss this great temple  .Acknowledgent to Wikipedia about the temple and a tamil post in face book by Sri vasu Iyengar)

   This is a temple dedicated   to the fierce   form Of Goddess  Bhagawathi called  Chamundi  in Trivandrum and is about 7 km away  Padmanabhaswamy temple in the north western direction   The place is called Karikkakom and the goddess “ Karikakathu  Amma” .This temple it seems was built  by a later  chera king called   “anusham, THirunal  Rama Varma Raja” 

Story of the temple

One Vedic pundit had a disciple called  Yogeeswara   who like his Guru was worshipping the Goddess  CHamundi. One day the goddess  appeared  before him as a little girl  .Yogeeswara and his Guru brought the girl to this place , built a leaf thatched shed  and made her stay there, Then the girl appeared before them as Goddess  and told   them she will be forever   staying there . Yogeeswara got a statue made   and consecrated it there  ,

The temple

  In this temple the Goddess  appears in three  forms   viz  Raktha Chamundi devi  ,Bala CHamundi devi   and Maha Chamundi and  in the temples of Raktha Chamundi and Bala Chamundi there  are  no statues  consecrated but  there are pictures v  of Goddes s drawn on the wall  .

Maha Chamundi temple

    It seems in the temple of Maha Chamundi devi  , there was a statue made of silver and consecrated  on a deer horn  stage .Later  the devotees  got a pancha loha Idol made and  got it consecrated here  .,

 (21st march 1997)

  There are temples for Sastha  , Ganapathi  , Yakshiyamma  , BHuvaneswari  Ayiravalli and Yogeswara in the same compound besides a Nagar Kavu .There is also an old house called Guru Mandiram, the house of Yogeswara’s Guru al rituals

Worship in the temple

  In the morning after  nirmalya darsanam   there  is a panchamritha   Abhisherkam to the goddess  and  after wards   she would  be  offered Kadum Payasam (Very concentrated  Jaggery  Payasam) .The  offerings  Of pal payasam  and Panchamritham are also made.There  are also the following special rituals

Bali Sadhya

This ritual takes place in the month of Karkatakam on the Karthika day. On this day inside the temple special poojas are performed for the Guru and Mantramoorthi. Brahmins are given food and dress. After this ceremony devotees are given Bali Sadhya. This is a very old custom of the temple, which is followed even today.

Nirayum Puthiriyum

The paddy taken from the land belonging to the temple is first offered to the Devi.

Uthrada Taneerkuda

This is another important festival conducted during the month of Chingam on Uthradam day. This is a very ancient and important pooja.

Kodi Charthu

This is a ritual conducted in the month of Chingam on Thiruvonam day after the Nirmalya Darshanam. The devotees offer the Devi yellow dress during the festival.

Ayilyam Ootu

The temple performs poojs for the Nagas on the ayilyam day in the month of Makaram. This is known as Vallya Ayilyam. From ancient times this pooja is performed for propitiating the Nagas and removing Naga Dosha.

Raktha Chamundi and  Bala  Chamundi

  IN the Raktha Chamundi temple  (where Goddess is in the form of a drawing) People accused of anything   , if they deny it ,are asked to  take an oath before the goddess .People are scared and tell the truth

  It seems  once upon a time the queen lost her costly ear rings ,They suspected a security guard   and imprisoned him .The lover of the guard came and told the king that she has stolen it.Hearing that  the guard told that it was not true and he was  the thief.Both of them were taken to the temple of the Raktha Chamundi  ,Both of them took bath in the temple pond   and brought to the temple ,Then the washer woman of queen cloths rushed there with the ear rings and told every one, that she found them in the queen’s cloths .The gurad and his lover were set free .The Queen presented the   ear rings to the goddess

Bala Chamundi temple

   Here the  Chamundi is drawn in a vey peaceful form

Festivals

1.poNGALA IN Meenam month for seven days

2.Mandala Vratham - Festival in connection with the annual Utsavam of Sabarimala

3.Vinayaka Chathurthi - Pooja to the Lord Ganapathy

4.Pooja Vaypu - Identical to Dussera festival (Saraswathy Pooja and Vidyarambham)

5.Sivarathri - Siva Pooja

6.Karthika - Karthika Deepam

7.Ayilya Pooja - Milk, flowers etc. offered to serpent God and special rites

8.Aiswarya Pooja - On all full moon (Pournami) days

9.Shasta Pratishta Dinam - Every year in the month of Makaram on the Rohini day Shasta Pratishta Dinam is celebrated in the temple.

10.Vishu Kani - On the first day of the month of Medam people come here for the Vishukani Darshanam.

 The temple would be open from 5 Am to 12 noon   and 4.30 Pm to 8.30 PM

The contact particulars of the temple

Karikkakom Sree Chamundi Temple,
Karikkakom, Beach PO,
Thiruvananthapuram,Kerala,Postal Code - 695007 India

Phone

  0471 2500989 (Temple) 2507671 (Office)

E mail

  karikkakomdevitemple@gmail.com

Transportation

Karikkakom is just 7 km from Thiruvananthapuram city. The nearest airport is TRivandrim   air port.The nearest railway station is Trivandrum Central Railway Station and the nearest bus station is Thiruvananthapuram Central Bus Station.

Those who travel via Kollam on reaching Kazhakoottam  junction should take the straight road via World Market junction and from there take the right turn via Vazhavila to the temple. Those who take the M.C. Road should come through Kesavadaspuram via Palayam, Peta, Chakka bypass. Those coming from Neyyattinkara, via East Fort, Enchakkal junction can reach the temple using the bypass road. The temple can also be reached via Chakka Attuvarambu road.