Karkidaka-the Ramayana month is dedicated to the chants of Rama nama,with devotees undertaking the Nalamabala darshana.Triprayar Srirama temple,Thrissur is one such shrine where pilgrims from across Kerala have darshana @chathootti @thynameissanghi @radvind @RajithRajagopal -1/24

The deity is referred to as Triprayarappan/Triprayar thevar.The idol is a chathurbahurupa,having panchajanya,sudarshana,Kodanda(bow)& a garland in each arms & is believed to have been worshipped by Lord Krishna in Dwaraka.After swargarohana,the idol was immersed in the sea- 2/24

and recovered from Chettuva.The image of Thevar has Sridevi&Bhudevi on either sides.Its interesting to note that Triprayar thevar has Shaiva as well as Brahma aspects.Rama after killing asura Khara is the moorthi sankalpa here,hence thevar is also called Kharasamhaara murthy-3/24

Khara is a man eating,guise changing demon.After Shurpanakha's nose is cut ,she reaches Khara&Dushana and complains of the same.Seeing her plight,Khara decides to wage war with Rama.He comes with an army of fellow demons,but Rama is unperturbed.He successfully-4/24

strikes down the asuras.Rama pulls an arrow similar to ritual fire(paavaka sankaasham),gifted by Indra.That formidable arrow released from Rama's Kodanda is thunderous,like thunder and plunges into Khara's chest,eventually dies.This is the pratishta sankalpa-5/24

The temple has Dakshinamurthy, 2 Ganapathi vigrahas,a Goshala krishna, and a very strong presence of Ayyappa.There is no separate idol for Hanuman swamy,but he is believed to be in the air&sand of the temple. So,devotees bow at the namaskara mandapa commemorating Anjaneya. -6/ 24

Murals and wooden carvings add to the architectural splendour which every Kerala temples are proud of.Offerings of avil(puffed rice) to Hanuman swamy is important,so is Meenoottu(feeding fishes).Meenoottu is paying obeisance to pitrukal(ancestors)- who breathes& derives..-7/24

nourishment through water.Menootu is also done by devotees who suffer from Asthma &other respiratory disorders.Thevar is also known to liberate humans afflicted by evil spirits like Chaathan,hence devotees come here to give offerings to what is known as Chaathan bhandaaram-8/24

The temple is on the banks of the river Purayar.Due to Thevar's presence,Thirupurayar later became Triprayar.Sridevi on the right &Bhudevi on the left were consecrated by Vilwamangalam swamiyar who saw them entering the temple through the western door to pay obeissance.-9/24

After consecrating,he closed the western door which hasn't been opened till date.The festivals associated are Triprayar ekadashi,in the month of Vrischikam and the famous Arattupuzha pooram in the month of Meenam.On Triprayar ekadashi,the entire temple complex is lit -10/24

On the day of Dashami,Ayyappa is taken in procession,while on Ekadashi,Srirama is taken on procession accompanied by 21 elephants. In The Arattupuzha pooram,Thevar is the presiding diety.A mega event,starts on makeeryam star of meenam,ends on pooram day,lasting for 7days.-11/24

The pooram starts with 'Makeeryam purappadu' prior to which 101kathina vedi vazhipaadu is done.Twenty four deities take part in this pooram,Thevar being the only Vaishnava form. Rest are Ayyappa deities and Devi roopas.Arattupuzha shastavu is a major deity for this pooram.-12/24

On the last day of pooram,Thevar starts off from Triprayar to the venue,the entire stretch of 12kms decorated by the natives. He starts off at night,and is welcomed by fireworks,music,flowers &Rama chants.This is a sight no miss,as villagers away from Triprayar ..-13/24

too get a glimpse of Thevar. 'Koottiezhunellippu' is a major ritual,when Thevar along with Oorakathu amma(Sridevi) & Cherpu Bhagavathy(Bhudevi) are carried in procession.The sankalpa behind this is Lord Narayana along with Lakshmi Devi and Bhumi Devi residing at Vaikunta-14/24

This ritual is believed to be witnessed by the 33crores devas, along with gandharvas&yakshas.The holy abode of Thevar is synonymous with the Naalambala darshana.Karkidaka is the month when hymns in praise of Ram is sung& Ramayana read in every households.-15/24

It is the month of incessant rainfalls and illness.The Varsha ritu spreads across the karkidaka and is when humans possess the least agni bala,thus inviting rogas.Snakes and insects becomes increasingly venomous,hence,even green leafy vegetables are avoided from foods-16/24

Kerala also has a special food for this month-Karkidaka kanji,keeping in account the importance one must give to his health.Its here,that Ramayana &Rama nama assumes significance.Ramayana-the saga of selfless brothers,righteous king, devoted son,of a chaste wife is recited-17/24

at every homes.Humans are taught the dharmic,healthy practices to be inculcated in one's life by following the foot steps of the 4brothers.Rama-a devoted son,who upheld his father's word,a selfless prince;Lakshman who sacrificed his comforts to be the eyes &ears of Rama-18/24

Bharatha and Shatrughna- devoted brothers who were never carried away by the material comforts that they had before them;who led lives in a palace just as their brothers lived in the wild.Their righteous lives are maargdarshak for the mortals,thus freeing them from mental& -19/24

physical agony.For this devotees undertake the Nalambala yatra-praying at the 4shrines dedicated to the 4brothers the same day,in the order-Rama(Triprayar), Bharatha(Koodalmanikyam),Lakshmana(Thirumoozhikulam)&Shatrughna(Payammal).Another ceremony is Chirakettal -20/24

This is done in reminiscent of the Sethubandhanam-bridge built by Hanuman and his sena to reach Lanka in search of Ma Sita.Chirakettal is done at Sriraman chira,a 900 hectares of paddy field in Triprayar.Annually done on Thiruvonam star of month Kanni,by the temple priests.-21/24

Its believed that Lord Ram during this ritual comes to the Chira along the river,on a crocodile,during which strong currents are felt in the river and is usually marked by heavy rains.Thevar's travel on his holy boat is equally revered.-22/24

Devotees hold the belief that King Ram,sets off from his holy abode,to enquire upon the well being of his prajas in his highly acclaimed Ramarajya.His prajas,as they proudly call themselves, yearns to have a glimpse of him everytime before their eyes; -23/24

Questions Raghava in pain- "why do you conceal yourself from us;whose form itself is the universe;whose eyes are the soorya and the chandra". The dharmic ruler Srirama can never turn a deaf ear to the calls of his prajas...-24/24

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