Thrissur: The Cultural Heart beat of Kerala

By Suryadas C – Author & Photos

We witness a spike in pilgrimage tourism, and a large majority of pilgrims are South Indians who flock to north India to visit Mathura-Vrindavan, Kashi (Varanasi), and now Ayodhya, rekindling the religious flavour. Pilgrimage tourism has flourished in the last decade. Kerala pilgrims contribute to travel and tourism growth and are expected to grow fast and further in the next decades to come.

However, maybe there is a lack of awareness about temples and pilgrimage possibilities in Kerala for the north Indians. When we talk about Kerala temples, the first few that cross the minds of devotees are Sabarimala (Pathnamthitta District), Swami PadmanbhaTemple (Thiruvananthapuram) and Guruvayurappan (Thrissur). However, innumerable temples in Kerala will offer people from the other parts of the country, particularly the north, a different feeling of religiosity that is practised in Kerala culture.Thrissur (Trichur) is one district in Kerala that has many big temples with stunning traditional Kerala architecture that offers piousness.

Thrissur (Trichur) is one of the central districts of Kerala, and it is often referred to as the cultural capital of Kerala. The district is renowned for its vibrant festivals and exhibits the rich cultural heritage and traditions of the region.

The district is abundant with ancient temples and a district of many ancient, large and architectural wonder temples in India. The town has one of the most ancient and popular Hindu temples in Kerala, Vadakkumnathan Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple is a recommended UNESCO World Heritage Site and is located at the heart of the town. As per historians, the temple is estimated to be 1600 years old, dating to the pre-Dravidian era. Interestingly, there are at least three temples in the district that are more ancient than Vadakkumnathan. The temple is a classic example of Kerala’s architecture, consisting of four monumental gates (nada) on all four sides. The one on the South side is used in the world-famous annual temple festival called ThekkotteIrakkam at the Thrissur Pooram.

The district also boasts other prominent temples offering tourists an experience that could give them the cultural and Hindu religious diversity of India. One such wonderful temple is Koodalmanikyam in Irinjalakuda, about 22 km from Thrissur town and 70 km from Kochi airport. This temple is the only ancient Hindutemple in India dedicated to worshipping Lord Bharata. The devotees throng to the temple during the Malayalam calendar month of Karkadakam (July-August) as part of the nalambalamtour (tour of four temples), a popular devotee activity in Kerala during the peak monsoon period.

The annual temple festival is held during April and May, and during the ten days of the festival, various rich Keralaart shows are organised. Caparisoned elephants adore the festival. The ponds within the temple premises distinguish it from other prominent temples of Kerala.

The first of the Nalambala visits is, of course, Lord Ramachandra temple in Thripryar.

Sri Rama Temple at Thripryar is located about 20 km from the town, from Vadakkumnathan temple, or Thrissur round. Sri Rama,the deity of Thripryar, is with four hands and is in a standing position. Locally, the deity is known as Thevar. The hands hold discus, bow and arrow, conch and garland. The architectural beauty stands on the banks of the Canoli Canal, which connects Kozhikode to Kodangullur. The eastern entrance is open to the water of the canal, which can also be seen from the other side of the river, a site to behold. During the Malayalam month of Karkkadakam (July-August), the Ramayana recital is conducted when the maximum number of devotees throng the temple. Weather-wise, the best time to visit will be after the monsoon in October until January. The architectural beauty will be difficult for devotees to ignore.

The third temple of the Nalambalam (four temples) tour is ThirumoozhikulamSreeLakshmanaperumal Temple, located in Moozhikulam in Ernakulam district. The deity of the temple is Laxmanan (Laxman). The architecture is typical of Kerala style, but the walls are enshrined with stones. Kutiyattamis an artistic combination of traditional Sanskrit drama mixed with the Koothu, an ancient performing art of Kerala. Kutiyattam is practised on the temple premises.

The fourth of the Nalambalam tour will be Shatrungnan temple, which is located in Thrissur district. There are not many temples where Shatrugnan is worshipped in India and this one in Thrissur bags that distinction. Devotees believe that visiting the Nalamabalam during Karakadakam (Malayalam month, which falls in July-August) is mostly divine and sacred.

In terms of popularity, however, Guruvayurhas to be at the top of the list. Guruvayur Krishna temple is located about 20 km from the city centre of Thrissur. The deity, known as Guruvayurappan, is a four-armed form of Vishnu in standing position. Hands hold mace (Kaumodakigada), conch, and lotus, adorned by a tulsi garland. Known as BhulokhaVaikunta, it is visited by devotees from all over Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Undoubtedly, Guruvayur is one of the most popular temples in Southern India.

The other temple that could attract devotees and tourists alike ought to be another Lord Shiva temple called PeruvanamMahadeva temple, situated in Pervanam, roughly 10 km from the city centre or Vadakkumnathan temple. It is considered to be one of the most ancient temples in Kerala and is one of the 108 famous Lord Shiva temples in Kerala. The temple is surrounded by Kali and Subramanya on the West, Sastha temple on the North and, Vishnu temple on the east, and Durga on the South side. It is declared as protected monument by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Sitting on a 7-acre premise with huge outer walls, the architectural beauty of the temple mesmerises the devotees as you enter the temple premises. The inner construction, the sanctum area, is considered the tallest in temples of South India.

The dual Shivalinga is unique to PeruvanamMahadeva temple, and therefore, it is also known as Irattayappan. The conservation of the temple by ASI is ongoing.

Guruvayur and Thripyar are closer to the beaches. Blangad beach is very close to Guruvayur temple. Snehatheeram beach is 3 km from Thripyar temple. An early morning visit to see the sunrise at Snehatheeram can be a real bonus (not during the monsoon months).

Thekkady, Munnar, and Alleppey are all within a 100 km radius for those who wish to club their pilgrimage for leisure.

Thrissur railway station is a kilometre away from Vadakkumnathan temple. The closest airport is Kochi, which will be roughly 75 km from Vadakkumnathan temple. The best time to visit is during the winter months when the mornings and evenings will be pleasant.

Thrissurpooram (the temple festival at Vadakkumnathan) will be in April. Despite the heat and humidity, the Pooram will be an experience to treasure, with caparisoned elephants lined up on two sides with competing and changing colourful umbrellas, and the fireworks in the early hours are a huge attraction to the locals and visiting guests.