Pradakshinam

The popular lore about Sage Vilwamangalam catching a glimpse of Mahavishnu in the Ananthasayee pose at Ananthankadu is quite familiar to devotees. The Lord, stretching on Anantha the divine serpent, with his head at Thiruvallam, his navel at Ananthankadu, and his lotus feet at Thrippadapuram overwhelmed the sage, upon whose fervent request Vishnu shrank himself to a more comprehensible size ('thrice the length of the sage's staff'). Vilawamangalam Swamiyar consecrated Ananthasayee then and there, and the Lord is today seen as Anantha Padmanabha in the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple. The 'scene of action' is represented today by the Ananthankadu Nagar temple in the north-west corner of the great shrine. Thiruvallam today is famous for the very popular and much frequented Parasurama temple, while Thrippadapuram somehow has been out of the popular pilgrim circuit. A short detour from the city bypass road near Technopark will take you to the ancient Thrippappur Mahadeva an...

For the devotee, the Cherthala Karthyayani Devi temple is somewhat special, probably because it is believed that the Devi is easily propitiated and she is 'Mangalya Dayini'--giving prosperity and plenty to the devotee. Another very popular belief, especially among women, is that prayers to her regarding 'mangalyam' (marriage) is a sure-fire guarantee to obtaining a suitable groom. A pilgrimage to the Devi's sanctum is capable of removing in a trice every possible obstacle to a "happy mangalyam" for the eligible young ladies. Many others, particularly travellers, get attracted to the annual festival Cherthala Pooram, which, after the famous Thrissur Pooram, is perhaps the second biggest in Kerala, when huge crowds gather. The temple is an ancient one, at least as old as the famous Padmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram. Legends connect the temple and its consecration to Sage Vilwamangalam Swamiyar. After consecrating Anantha Padmanbha at Thiruvanantha...