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| Trikkur Mahadeva temple, Kerala blogger.com |
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| Trikkur Mahadeva temple. alayamkanden.blogspot.in. |
Above imageLThe Trikkur Mahadeva temple of oThrikkur on the banks of the Manali River. Kerala; the lord is in Swayambhu form - self-manifested. The idol is about 6 feet tall.
The Trikkur Mahadeva Temple, situated in the small town of Thrikkur on the banks of the Manali River about ten kilometres from Thrissur city, is one of the oldest and most revered rock-cut Shiva temples of Kerala. Standing nearly 200 metres above mean sea level on a rocky hillock, it is a rare example of a cave shrine where the deity is a swayambhu (self-manifested) Shiva Linga, said to be about six feet tall.
Scholars date the temple to the eighth century, though some believe it could be slightly earlier, and traditions suggest that it may once have been associated with Jain monks before becoming a Shaiva centre. Declared a protected monument in 1966 by the Department of Archaeology, Government of Kerala, it is now maintained by the Paliyam Trust under the Kshetra Samrakshana Samiti. The sanctum sanctorum, or srikovil, is carved from solid rock, measuring roughly twelve feet long and eight feet wide, and opens to the north while the Linga faces east. Uniquely, devotees are allowed only a “parshwa darshan,” viewing the right side of the deity. In front lies the spacious mugha mantapa, hewn entirely from stone, with two beautifully sculpted dwarapalakas standing guard. A namaskara mandapa richly decorated with carvings provides space for worship, while a separate hall is used for Saraswati puja and for cultural performances such as Chakyar Koothu during Navaratri and Shivaratri. Around the hilltop are shrines for Ganapathy, the Sapthamatrikas and other deities, accessible by rugged rock-cut steps, and the temple precinct also has a dwajastamba and a prakaram.
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| Trikkur Mahadeva temple,Kerala.tourismeveryone.com |
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| Mugha mantap, Mahadev temple. alayamkanden.blogspot.in |
Above image: Here lord Shiva is symbolic of fire (agni), one of the Pancha Boothas (five essential elements). The belief has been that Agni eternally resides in this shrine, hence the procession of the deity is not allowed outside the temple (Ezhunnellath) on rainy or cloudy days. ........
According to legend, the Shiva Linga was first noticed by a man from a marginalized community, and later the local Namboodiri Brahmins developed the site, erecting a mantapa in his memory. The old name of the village, Dhrukpuram, derived from drushti or “sight,” commemorated this discovery and gradually evolved into Trikkur. A distinctive belief holds that Agni, the element of fire, resides eternally with Lord Shiva here, and therefore the deity’s ceremonial procession is not taken out on rainy or overcast days. Trikkur Mahadeva Temple continues to draw devotees and visitors for its serene ambience, its architectural simplicity blending with the natural rock, and the aura of antiquity surrounding one of Kerala’s most significant cave shrines.
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http://aalayamkanden.blogspot.in/2014/12/trikkur-mahadeva-kshetram-come-and-I
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http://aalayamkanden.blogspot.in/2014/12/trikkur-mahadeva-kshetram-come-and-I
