#DiscoverTheUndiscovered: Kerala, often known as God’s Own Country, consists of many Durga temples, each with its own fascinating history and festive celebrations to accompany. Each temple has varied rituals, all interconnected with an unbroken thread of mutual love for gods and goddesses. Thrissur’s Ammathiruvadi Temple is one such prominent tourist spot. By Kashish Arora
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According to Indian mythology, Lord Vishnu’s sixth avatar, Parasurama, threw an axe from Kanyakumari to Gokarna to confiscate land in Kerala. He believed that it was mandatory to seek Goddess Durga’s blessings to keep the land’s prosperity and wellbeing intact. Therefore, a total of 108 spots were identified to build temples as a mark of respect to the divinity in parts he reclaimed. One of which is the Valayadheeswari Temple, or Ammathiruvadi Temple.
Located in the small village of Urakam in Thrissur District, this ancient temple is adorned with mesmerising ornaments and stones. The temple is believed to be around 1,100 years old. It consists of two gopurams (an ornate entrance tower), mathilkettu (compound walls), ootupura (feeding hall), nalambalam (an ancient building surrounding the Sanctorum), and a two-storied sreekovil (Sanctorum).
Makayiram Purappadu is one of the main festivals celebrated at this temple. The festival segues towards the Arattupuzha Pooram festival, famously known as Deva Mela; it is an annual 13-day temple carnival celebrated in north-central Kerala.
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The days of Navratri is yet another beautiful time at the temple. During this time, Lord Durga is dressed in pure silk saris and adorned with heavy jewellery. The temple is decorated with fresh flowers. Elephant mahouts are given special treatment wherein the mighty mammals are adorned with expensive carpets and jewellery for the procession. The temple’s decoration begins on the final days of Navratri. Residents of Urakam and farmers from nearby districts and villages offer ripened bananas for decorating the temple. These fruits are kept in the special cell of the temple’s Eastern gopuram for easy processing and preparation for the main day. On the last day of Navratri, special pujas are performed in the morning, and the prasadam (sacred food) offered to the deity is distributed to residents and devotees later that afternoon. Ordinarily, the 15,000 people who attend the festival are given a grand feast.
Getting there
Thrissur railway station is just 11 km away from this temple. From here, you can hire a taxi to reach the location. If you’re planning to reach by flight, Cochin International Airport is approximately an hour away.
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