Prathishta / Presiding Deity : Durga
Upadevatha / Sub Deities : xx
District: Ernakulam
Thaluk: xx
Panchayath: xx
Thanthri: xx
Trustee: xx
This is one of the 108 Durga Devi Temple in Kerala. It is situated near Kalady the
birth place of Jagath Guru Adi Sankara, the Great Advaitic Philosopher. The deity
of this sacred shrine was the Ishta Devatha of Adi Sankara. Sivaguru and Aryamba
the parents of Adi Snakara worshiped the deity for a long time
The presiding deity Devi Karthyayani of this sacred temple was worshiped by Sivaguru
and Aryamba, ( parents of Jagat Guru Adi Sankara) for a longtime. They visited this
temple daily with an offering of milk, a portion of which brought back home as Prasada.
One day they had to send four year old Sankara to make the offering and some how
the Sankara got late and couldn't offer the milk which he had with him. The innocent
child couldn't bear this and started to weep. The Goddess who is the mother of all
sentiments and insentient being came out of the sanctum santorium as a mass of magnificent
light and drained the cup to the last drop. Not finding anything in the bowl. Sankara
started to weep. Then the bowl was refilled with milk. It is after receiving this
milk of knowledge that Sankara became the Jagat Guru (Universal Teacher ). In his
work ‘Saundariyalahari' Sankara praised the Goddess like this.
The term festival -UTHSAVA- means the over flow of the temple deity's blessings
and happiness. Various poojas, Vedic chanting, Annadana, taking out the Deity in
colors in procession are the high lights. Temple Festival features rituals and prayers
as well as a spectacular procession of grandly decorated elephants. The festival
is celebrated with religious devotion and joy. It is a spectacular event to see
the row of seven elephants decorated with golden forehead ornaments and colorful
parasols and bearing idol of the goddess on their back
The main attraction of the festival is the Pooram Day (14-03-2008) where Panchari
Melam, Pandimelam, Thayambaka, Panjavadyam are conducted when the deity is escorted
with seven decorated elephants in the procession
The day starts with sacred awakening the Goddess at 05.30 Hrs. The Nirmalya Darsanam
of unornamented deity is at 05.35 Hrs. The same is seen there after at the Upadevatha's
temple. First Jalasuddhi, then Sankhaabhisheka and Malar Nivedyam is given to Devi
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Manager,
Karthyayani Devi Temple,
Manickamangalam P.O,
Ernakulam District,
Kerala – 683 574.
Temple is very near to the M.C Road. From Kalady Junction it is only 4 K.M Nearest
Railway station is Angamaly , it is only 10 K.M away Temple is located 6 K.M away
from the Cochin International Airport
In Sanskrit Durga means one who is difficult to approach or difficult to know. Durga
is the personification of the totality of the powers of the gods. So she is very
difficult to approach or to know. Being the mother of the universe she is the personification
of love, knowledge, wisdom and memory. She is pleasant and beautiful at the same
time she is terrible also.
