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| Thrikkakara Vamana Murthy Temple, Kochi,Kerala,inditales.com |
The Thrikkakara Temple in Kochi, Kerala, is a highly significant religious site, particularly during the harvest festival of Onam. Dedicated to Lord Vamana, the fifth avatar of Vishnu, it is one of the 108 revered Vaishnava temples. The temple's ancient origins are supported by inscriptions on its walls, with historians estimating its age to be around 4,500 years.
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| Thrikkakara Vamana Murthy Temple/inditales.com, |
The temple's history is deeply intertwined with the Onam myth. According to legend, this is the very place where Lord Vamana met the beloved Asura king, Mahabali. When Mahabali's popularity made the devas insecure, they sought Vishnu's help. Vamana, in his dwarf form, approached Mahabali and asked for three feet of land. The king, known for his generosity, readily agreed. Vamana then grew to an immense size, taking on his Thrivikrama form. With two strides, he covered the entire world, and when there was no place left for the third step, Mahabali humbly offered his head. Vamana pushed him down to Pathala (the underworld) with his foot. The name Thrikkakara is believed to have evolved from 'Thiru-Kaal-Karai,' meaning 'under the holy feet of Lord Vishnu.'
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| Vamana Murthy and Mahabali theindianpanorama.news |
The temple holds a unique position for its veneration of both Vishnu and Shiva with equal importance, a rare sight in Hindu temples. Another myth suggests that Parasurama brought brahmins from Uttar Pradesh to Thrikkakara, and they established the temple to worship Vishnu. Some also believe Parasurama himself placed the deity. The idol is said to represent Vishnu's ultimate form, Thrivikrama, which is also known as Vamana’s Vishwaroopa.
Onam celebrations at the Thrikkakara Temple are famous and central to the festival's traditions. An erstwhile Travancore king once decreed that those unable to celebrate Onam at the temple should do so at home. This tradition continues with Malayalis keeping a figurine of 'Thrikkakarayappan' (the deity of Thrikkakara) in their homes. The temple hosts the 'Mahabali Ezhunellupu,' a special procession where a child dressed as Vamana welcomes a person playing Mahabali. Historically, before the formation of Kerala, 64 small kingdoms would gather at the temple annually, taking turns to organize the festivities, a tradition that lives on in events like the Tripunithura Athachamayam. The temple's rituals during Uthradam and Thiruvonam, the key days of Onam, are particularly significant, making the temple a cornerstone of the festival's spiritual and cultural observance.
https://www.archaeology.kerala.gov.in/pages/thrikkakkara-vamana-moorthy-temple/227
https://inditales.com/thrikkakara-vamana-moorthy-temple-kochi/
