Please visit the link below to read complete article.
Thuravoor Temple history
An ancient Devasthanam located by the side of NH-47, approximately 25 kms south of Kochi city, is the sacred abode of Lord Sree Narasimhamoorthy and Lord Sree Mahasudarsanamoorthy. The entire temple complex can be seen from the road.
Two
separate temples in close proximity - within the same compound - reflect
the synthesis of a unique and mysterious divine power. The idol of Sree
Narasimhamoorthy is said to have originated in the holy city of Kashi
(Varanasi). Swami Padmapadar (8th century AD), the principal disciple of
Adi Sankaracharya, had worshipped the very same idol at Kashi.
Distinctive
in its architectural and artistic grandeur, Thuravoor Mahakshethram is
one of the most venerated places of worship in Kerala. Twin-Sreekovils
in a single Nalambalam, two gold-plated flagmasts that tower into the
skies, a majestically tall Anapandhal (elephant rostrum - the largest in
Kerala), a strict regimen of observances of vrathas for the priests,
days after days of rituals and festivals, chanting of Vedic hymns and
presentation of learned discourses on Puranas throughout the year ...
all these attract streams of devotees to the temple from within and
outside the State.
Great
seers and saints such as Jagadguru Sankaracharya of Sringeri - Sree
Bharathi Theertha Swamigal, Jagadguru Sankaracharya of Kanchi - Sree
Jayendra Saraswathy, Sankaracharya of Puri - Sree Adhokshajananda
Swamigal, Uduppi Pejavar Math head - Sree Visweswara Theertha Swamigal
and the Jiyar of Ahobilamath - Sree Sadagopa Narayana Yatheendra
Swamigal - have all visited and experienced the spiritual and devotional
grandeur of this fabled Devasthanam.
Of the
two temples here, it is believed that the one dedicated to
Sudarsanamoorthy was the first to come into existence. Though there is
no record of its origin, the temple is estimated to be over 1300 years
old. There are scholars who hold that the circular-shaped Sreekovil
belongs to the Thretha Yuga; according to others, its origin dates back
to the Dwapara Yuga. Some palmleaf texts on the temple do exist; but
nobody has yet been able to understand or decipher them.
As for
the Narasimhamoorthy temple, records do show that it came into being
sometime in the 7th century AD, during the reign of a Chera king named
Keralendran. His guru was the great Muringottu Adigal, a well-known Tulu
Brahmin priest and scholar.
Geographically,
the temple site belongs to the former Cochin state. However, it
subsequently came under the purview of Travancore for certain political
reasons. But this transition was subject to an important proviso: If a
Travancore king were ever to set foot on the Mahakshethra soil, the
temple would be immediately restored t
o
Cochin. Therefore, for a long time, no Travancore king visited the
temple. In 1951, on the merger of Travancore and Cochin and coronation
of Sree Chithirathirunal, the Maharaja visited the temple - the first
time for a Travancore king to do so. He walked to the temple over a
carpet to avoid stepping directly on the ground.
Sub-shrines:
Within the Nalambalam, on the southern side of the inner courtyard is
the shrine of Ganapathy. Outside the two Sreekovils - but within the
same temple premises - are the idols of Sastha on the south, with the
serpent gods just behind it; Bhagavathy on the west and Brahmarakshassu
on the north - housed in separate, smaller sub-shrines.
Inviolable
discipline and austerity: The roles of the Melsanthi (chief priest) and
Keezhsanthi (assistant priest) at this temple are reversed every year.
So long as the Melsanthi continues in his position, he has to maintain
absolute celibacy; he must not leave the temple compound during his
tenure, and has to follow an austere lifestyle and a observe a stringent
daily regimen.
NARASIMHAMOORTHY TEMPLE
Though the Narasimhamoorthy temple
(on the northern side) is separted by a wall, the two temples are
interconnected. The fairly large, square-shaped, copper-roofed Sreekovil
is built of granite.The Namaskaramandapam is ornamented with sculptures
of lotus blooms. The granite pillars on the Mandapam also feature
highly imaginative carvings. One stone pillar carries the image of
Deepalakshmi. The sculptures and murals on the outer walls of the
Sreekovil are so beautiful, they will take your breath away. Kerala's
age-old tradition in temple architecture is reflected here.
The walls
of the Sreekovil are adorned with sculptures of elephant heads at
regular intervals. Two of the elephants are with their trunks down,
while the rest have their trunks raised. This may have been done to
avoid monotony.
The
compound wall of the Sreekovil are also adorned with enchanting murals.
The painting of Mahavishnu reposing on Anantha deserves specific
mention. Since the temple was formerly in the Cochin territory, the god
depicted is likely to be Sree Poornathrayeesa, the family deity of the
Cochin royalty. Nataraja, Indra with his thousand eyes in the presence
of Ugranarasimha, Sreekrishna, and a damsel with her face turned away
from a scene showing a love-lorn couple are some of the pictures that
will linger in the mind of a visitor.
The
Garbhagriha of the the Sreekovil has two ante-chambers. Here too, the
idols of Dwarapalakas are installed in one of them. The Garbhagriha
houses a beautiful, four-armed idol of Mahavishnu who is perceived as
Ugranarasima. In the corridor on the southern side, there is an idol of
Lord Siva. You can view and worship Him through the narrow window in the
wall on the southern side.
Generally,
Narasimha idols are seen in a sitting posture. But here, the idol is on
its feet. One may assume that originally this idol in the standing
position was originally that of Mahavishnu; and, as a result of poojas
and other sacred rituals, it it is being perceived as Ugranarasimha.
Connoisseurs
of art within and outside Kerala agree that the sculptures, relief
works and carvings on the southern side of the Sreekovil are priceless
works of art. Scholars from afar often visit the temple for an in-depth
study of these masterly creations. You can see here nine different
perceptions of Narasimha including Ugranarasimha, Lakshmi Narasimha and
Yoga Narasimha. Khadgi straddling an elaborately decorated horse, Yakshi
carrying a hand-mirror and eloquent scenes from Ramayana are worth a
close observation.
The Narasimha temple has its own gold-plated Garudadwaja, oriented towards the east.
On the
extreme eastern side, in the direct line of vision of the
Narasimamoorthy shrine, is a massive temple tank measuring 100 x 80
metres. It is believed that the cool, clean, serene waters of the tank
provide a calming effect on the Lord’s fierce frame of mind.
SUDARSANAMOORTHY TEMPLE
The
idol of Sudarsanamoorthy features four arms, each carrying a different
object: a conch shell, a chakra (discus), a gadha (mace) and a lotus
bloom.
The
foreground of the temple is spacious and paved with rough-hewn granite
slabs. The Namaskaramandapam is also fittingly large and impressive. On
the ceiling of this Mandapam are exquisitely carved figures of
Ashtadikpalakas (guardians of the eight directions) with Lord Brahma in
the middle.
A
characteristic feature of Kerala temple architecture is that many
Sreekovils contain more than one chamber. The large, circular Sreekovil
contains three enclosures. Two circumambulatory paths go around the
Garbhagriha. On one of them are some tall, granite pillars. A casual
observer may not see the Dwarapalas (entrace guards) at first. They are
installed within the veranda adjoining the Sreekovil.
The outer
walls of the Sreekovil are profusely adorned with intricately sculpted
woodwork. One of the very interesting sculptures is that of Devi
breastfeeding Ganapathy. Depictions of this nature are very rare.
Sculptures of Devi astride the Nandi with a bell in her hand, Ganapathy
depicted in different rows and a frozen dance-and-music extravaganza are
some of the visual treats here. On either side of a narrow doorway
(which looks like a window), one can see miniature figures of an
entourage of servant-gods.
The
gold-plated flagmast on the eastern side of the Sudarsanamoorthy temple
is taller than its counterpart for the Narasima temple.
For the rituals and pooja offerings, the well and the kitchen in the Sudarsanamoorthy premises are shared by the two temples.
The above information has been taken from the websites below. Please visit the link below to know more about the temple.
![[Image1]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_sZiAKaLmuvxrw_Lz_1zfsLDCDSVe8CS_z7pyX81hOnS-MHoGQSNelDM-CvkaQfFnJAfF4GQ9VOsaixd0vpGsbkOjEqqJI9Owoq1pLCfsmxn7vFA3jXJQ=s0-d)
