images, Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple, Tripunithura, Kerala
images, Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple, Tripunithura, Kerala

Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple, Tripunithura, Kerala

Date built:–
Deity:–
Architectural style:–
Major festivalsKerala style
Locale:Thrippunithura, Kochi
District::Tripunithura
Address:Electricity Board Limited, Kottakkakam Road Near Kerala, Thrippunithura, Ernakulam, Kerala 682301
Phone–

Sree Poornathrayesa temple (in Malayalam:ശ്രീ പൂര്‍ണ്ണത്രയീശ ക്ഷേത്രം) is situated in Tripunithura, Kochi, the capital of the former Kingdom of Cochin. The temple is considered among the greatest temples in Kerala and was first among 8 royal temples of erstwhile Kochi Kingdom. The deity was also considered as National deity of Cochin and protector guardian of Tripunithura.

The temple is famous for its yearly Utsavams or festivals. The main one is the Vrishchikoltsawam,[1] which is conducted every year in the month of Vrishchikam (November–December), kicking off the ‘Ulsava’ Season in Kerala. And this Vrishchikolsavam is the biggest temple festival of Ernakulam District and one of the biggest temple festivals of Kerala also.

The deity in this temple is Lord Vishnu who is in the form of Santhanagopala Murthy. It is well believed that childless couples will be blessed with children on praying Poornathrayesan.

Architecture

The temple is designed in accordance of Kerala temple architecture. A major fire occurred in 1920, which destroyed much of the original structure particularly the sanctum sanctorum which was built extensively in wood. This led to redesigning the temple with concrete structure, for the first time in Kerala. Designed by the illustrious architect Late Sri Eachara Warrier, the temple was redesigned with concrete structure, covered cleverly with copper plates, wooden panels and granite tiles to recreate the traditional structure feeling.

The side walls of sanctum sanctorim where heavily decorated with large brass sheets with statutes of gods and goddess, while the roof is covered with copper sheets, while the entrances of sanctum sanctorum were covered with gold sheets.The first floor of the two-storied gopuram consists of a mandapam (Dias), and eight beautifully carved wooden pillars support the Mandapam.

Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple is the only temple in South India where you can see an odd pose of Lord Vishnu, sitting under the shade of five royal hoods of the divine serpant, Ananthan, whose folded body itself acts as the throne for the God. Devotees worship the almighty here as “Santhaana Gopaala Moorthy”(Savior of infants). Anecdotes say that this beautiful idol of Sree Poornathrayeesa was presented to Arjuna by Lord Vishnu, while the former sought the help of the Supreme being to give rebirth to the ten children of a brahmin (believed to be a member of Puliyannur Illom, ancestral home of the chief priest of the temple). Arjuna along with the ten children and the holy idol returned in his chariot and handed over the children to the brahmin. Later a temple was built here in memory of this event and the sanctum-sanctorum (Sree Kovil) of this temple (presently known as Muthukulangara) is in the form of a chariot. Arjuna sent lord Vighnesha to search for a holy place for the installation of the idol of lord Vishnu. First they kept the idol in a palace, half a kilometer west to the main temple and now it is popularly known as ‘Poonithura Kottaram’.

See also  Sree Subrahmanya Swami Temple, Alappuzha

Attracted by the holiness of the ancient Vedic Village, POORNAVEDAPURAM, (now Tripunithura), lord Vighnesha himself occupied the place. Angry Arjuna kicked him aside to the southern side of the sanctum and installed the idol in that holy place surrounded by mustard fields. He then plucked some mustard seeds and crushed them to get oil for lighting lamp in front of the idol. Devotees consider the evershining “Valia Vilakku” situated in front of the idol, as the oil lamp lighted by Arjuna. Burnt oil of this traditional lamp possesses great medicinal value. The deity, ever since has been living in the minds and hearts of devotees as Santhanagopala Moorthy, blessing the needy, infertile couples with children.

Stories relating Sree Poornathrayeesa as the elder brother of the goddesses of Chottanikkara and Pishari temples are also popular among the people. Lord Poornathrayeesa is also believed to be wedded to a Namboothiri girl,”Nangema”, from Vadakkedathu Mana. Dieties from local temples like “Perumthrikovil”(Lord Shiva) and “Pishari kovil”(Lakshmi) will come here during their annual festive occasions to participate in a combined procession, locally termed as “Sankara Narayana Vilakku”(Shiva and Vishnu) and “Laksmi Narayana Vilakku”(Goddess Laksmi and Lord Vishnu) respectively. Aarattu (the holy bath of the diety) after the annual festival of Sree Poornathrayeesa takes place at the temple pond of Chakkamkulangara Shiva Temple, nearly half a kilometer North-East to Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple.

The entire structure of the temple except the West Gopuram (Gateway) was redesigned in the year 1921 by the great architect Late Sri Eachara Warrier. Before that the temple structure was in a reduced form with tiled roof and wooden ceiling. The east gopuram was also smaller than the present structure.

See also  Vaikom Temple, Kottayam, Kerala

In 1920 (Malayalam year 1096) the entire structure other than the west gopuram was destroyed in an accidental fire. Fortunately the devotees could save the main idol from fire by covering it with a huge vessel coated with clay.The other idols were shifted to Puthan Bunglow (Family temple of the Cochin Royal Family) and the King of Cochin state ordered to reconstruct the temple structure by completely avoiding the accident-prone wood works. In accordance with the King’s order Eachara Warrier skillfully blended the traditional architecture with the modern means of construction like concrete and reconstructed the temple with fireproof materials like Copper, Concrete, Granite and Bronze.

The west gopuram which could survive the devastating fire of 1920 is believed to be built by some divine powers and the age of this structure, still remains a mystery. Here the devine sculptures in their crude form bear a unique beauty.The first floor of this two storied gopuram consists of a mandapam (Dias), supported by eight beautifully carved wooden pillars.

Legend / Local stories

Traditions say that Lord Vishnu offered the idol of Sree Poornathrayeesa to Arjuna (the third of the five Pandava brothers), when he sought the help of the Lord to give rebirth to the ten children of a Brahmin. The ten children and the sacred idol were taken by Arjuna in his chariot and he handed over the children to the Brahmin. In memory of this event, a temple was built with a sanctum-sanctorum in the form of a chariot. Lord Ganesh was sent by Arjuna to search a holy place for the installation of Lord Vishnu. Earlier, the idol was kept in a palace which is situated at the west of the main temple and now it is known as Poonithura Kottaram.

See also  Kodungallur Bhagavathy Temple, Thrissur, Kerala

Lord Ganesh, who was attracted by the holiness of the ancient Vedic Village, Poornavedapuram (now Tripunithura), tried to occupy the place for himself. However, Arjuna pushed him away to the southern side of the sanctum and installed his idol there. This is different from the usual custom, where Lord Ganesh has a separate shrine at the south-western side of the inner prakaram. As the place was bounded by mustard fields, Arjuna used some mustard seeds to get oil for lighting lamp. You can see a Valia Vilakku situated in front of the idol. Folks say that the burnt oil of this traditional lamp contains medicinal value.

Legends reveal that Sree Poornathrayeesa is the elder brother of the Goddesses of Chottanikkara and Pishari temples. It is also believed that the Lord was married to a Namboothiri girl, Nangema, from Vadakkedathu Mana. During the annual temple festival occasions, deities from Perumthrikovil (Lord Shiva) and Pishari kovil (Lakshmi) visit here for a combined procession. This is locally called as Sankara Narayana Vilakku (Shiva and Vishnu) and Laksmi Narayana Vilakku (Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Vishnu). The Aarattu (the holy bath of the deity) of Sree Poornathrayeesa takes place at the temple pond of Chakkamkulangara Shiva Temple, which is situated north-east of the Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple.

The MOOLASTHAANAM or ‘Origin’ is located in Poonithura Sree Krishna Temple, which is 1.5 km west of Sree Poornathrayeesha temple. The then ruler shifted the deity from the place to the existing location.

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