VAIKOM MAHADEVAR TEMPLE

The Vaikom Mahadevar temple is one of the most celebrated Shiva temples in South India. Vaikom is located at a distance of 33km south of Ernakulam and 40 km north of Kottayam on the railroad between Ernakulam and Tiruvanandapuram.

The Deity: Shiva - Vaikom Mahadevar manifests himself as Dakshinamurthy in the panthirathi pooja in the morning. He is worshipped as Kiraata Murthy during the Uchcha pooja at noon and as Satchitananda in the evening.

Legend has it that Khara (of the Khara Dhooshana demon duo) of Ramayana worshipped Shiva at Chidambaram and obtained from him three Shivalingams and journeyed holding one shivalingam on each hand and one in his mouth. He sojourned at Vaikom, and set the shivalingam on the ground and to his dismay realized that it had gotten rooted to the ground. Kharan therefore installed the other two shivalingams at Ettumanur and Kaduthuruthy. He entrusted the shivalingam at Vaikom to the care of Vyagrapadar. Vaikom therefore acquired the name Vyagrapuri which ultimately became Vaikom for short.

Legend has it that Shiva appeared in front of Vyagrapadar under a peepul tree, south of the eastern gateway on the morning of Ashtami in the dark fortnight in the month of Scorpio. This incident is commemorated in the annual Vaikattu Ashtami festival.

Legend also has it that Parasurama, the incarnation of Vishnu built this temple and set up the worship protocol here.

It is believed that the Tiruvilaiyaadal associated with the tamil saint poet Manikkavaacakar, where jackals were miraculously transformed into horses - occurred here.

The temple: The elliptical sanctum here is covered with a copper plated roof crowned with a golden kalasam. The height of the wall of the sanctum is just about a third of that of the roof. The building dates back to the 11th century, and the wooden panels and the murals date back to the 15th and 18th centuries respectively. The mukhamandapam in front of the sanctum houses the nandi. The wall of the inner prakaram is lined with columns of lamps (vilakkumaatam) on a wooden framework. The flagstaff rises to a height of 317 feet. The Uttuppura or the dining hall is on the northern side of the sanctum. There is a shrine to Pananchikkal Bhagawati in the outer prakaram.

Festivals: As mentioned before, the annual festival is celebrated in the month of scorpio, and the twelfth day of the festival is Vaikkattu Ashtami. Each day witnesses special rituals, elephant processions, music and dance performances etc. The Ashtami festival involves a special darshan in the wee hours of the morning under the peepul tree, a feast at noon and a procession at night from the nearby Udayanapuram Subramanya temple. This procession involves the meeting of Shiva and Subramanya in celebration of Subramanya's victory over the demons. Deities from nearby temples also converge at this procession amidst elephants, lighted torches and musicians. The two kilometer long procession takes about 3 hours to complete and it reaches the northern gate of the Vaikom temple at about 130 AM. Subramanya and Vaikom Mahadevar then circumambulate the temple and then a touching farewell is enacted as Subramanya returns to Udayanapuram.

The aaraattu festival on the 13th day takes place at a tank, near the temple, and the deity from Udayanapuram participates in it too.

No poojas are carried out on the Ashtami festival inside the temple as it is believed that Mahadeva fasts, feeds guests and prays for his son's victory in the battle against demons.