Interesting Facts about Vadakkumnathan Temple

Thrissur lies in the heart of the verdant state of Kerala and is well-known for its culture and spiritual heritage. It holds the unique distinction of being home to the country’s first church and mosque buildings. Aside from this, Thrissur is also home to the famous Vadakkumnathan temple, with its being one of the most outstanding features of this city. The temple is also referred to as Thenkailasam or Vrishabhachalam.

Location

Located atop a hillock in the center of a massive 9-acre round-about, this ancient Shiva temple stands tall and proud. The round-about is known as the Swaraj Round with all major roads in the city eventually linking up with it. Interestingly Thrissur also gets its name from this temple; Thrissur is a short form of the word ‘Thrissivaperur’ which means ‘the town having the name of Lord Shiva’.

Temple Complex

This beautifully-architected temple is said to be over a 1000 years old and reflects Kerala’s true values, culture and traditions. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this grand temple never fails to grab attention of its visitors. It is believed to be the first Shiva temple built by Lord Purasurama (an incarnation of Lord Vishnu). The temple has three main shrines devoted to Lord Shiva (Sri Vadakkumnathan), Lord Rama and Lord Shankara Narayana, respectively. There is a shrine for Goddess Parvati too. Outside the main temple, there are two smaller temples dedicated to Thiruvambadi and Paramekkavu Devi also.

The temple has 4 magnificent Gopurams (gateways), facing in all 4 cardinal directions and is home to some mesmerizing murals depicting realistic scenes from the Mahabharata. The temple complex also features a museum which is a treasure trove for history lovers. It houses a number of ancient paintings and intricate woodcarvings among other works of ancient art forms.

Built in the typical Kerala style architecture, Vadakkumnathan temple complex also includes a temple theater (Koothambalam). Highly-embellished with rich wooden carvings, it witnesses stage performances of ritualistic art forms such as Koodiyattam, Koothu and Nangyar Koothu.

Thrissur Pooram

The entire temple grounds are surrounded by a stone wall. It is also the ground within which the festival of all festivals – the all-famous ‘Thrissur Pooram’ festival takes place. This 36-hour long festival is witnessed by lakhs of visitors each year and is famous for its highly-decorated parade of elephants, cultural displays and fireworks. Though the Thrissur Pooram is conducted within the temple compound, the Vadakkumnathan doesn’t partake in the festivities.

Temple Festivals

While the Vadakkumnathan temple doesn’t have any specific festival of its own, Mahashivaratri is celebrated very lavishly here. One lakh lamps, known as ‘lakshadeepam’ are lit in the temple, giving it an ethereal look and the day is celebrated with musical and cultural programs.

With the prevailing love for elephants in Thrissur, it is not surprising that another annual festival celebrated here is the ‘Annayoottu’, or feeding of the elephants. Believers come here to worship and feed the elephants.

Miracles

One of the interesting features in this temple is the Shiva lingam itself. The ghee offered over the lingam never melts, with the result that the lingam is encrusted with ghee poured on it over the centuries. It is seen that even the scorching summer heat doesn’t make the ghee melt! There is even a belief that the day the ghee melts, there will be major disasters and catastrophes in the world.

Dress Code

When visiting the temple, you will need to respect the temple’s traditions and follow the strict dress code in place. Men and women are expected to wear traditional Indian attires when visiting the temple.

Getting there

For believers, this is one temple that should be on your ‘must-visit’ list. Getting to Vadakkumnathan temple is very convenient as Thrissur has excellent highway and railway connectivity. The nearest airport is in Cochin, which is a bare 55km away.

Better still, why not settle down in Thrissur and worship at the Vadakkumnathan temple at your will! Vishraam Developers offer numerous apartment and villa projects in Thrissur located in niche areas to suit every taste. These responsibly architected homes come fully loaded with the best in fittings, finishings and amenities to keep you inspired for a lifetime.

Come visit Thrissur’s cultural heritage and fall in love with it!