Archive for the ‘Kerala Pilgrim Tour Package’ Category

Kerala Pilgrim Tour Package in Ambalapuzha Sreekrishna Temple

KeralaPilgrimTourPackage in Ambalapuzha Sreekrishna Temple

The Ambalappuzha Sri Krishna Temple is believed to have been built in the year AD 790 by the local ruler Chembakasserry Pooradam Thirunal-Devanarayanan Thampuran.

The idol at Ambalapuzha is likened to Parthasarthi with a whip in the right hand and a Shankhu (sacred conch) in the left. This temple is directly associated to the Guruvayoor Sree Krishna Temple. During the raids of Tipu Sultan in 1789, the idol of Sri Krishna from the Guruvayoor Temple was brought to the Ambalappuzha Temple for safe keeping.

The payasam served in the Ambalappuzha Temple is famous among Hindu devotees. This sweet pudding made of rice and milk has an interesting mythological legend behind it.It is believed that Guruvayoorappan reaches here daily at the time of Palpayasa Nedyam to have it.

Kerala Pilgrim Tour Package in Chottanikkara Temple

Kerala Pilgrim Tour Package in Chottanikkara

The Chottanikkara (corruption of Jyotiannakkara) Temple is a famous temple of the Hindu mother goddess Bhagawati. The temple is located near Ernakulam in the southern Indian state of Kerala and is one of the most popular temples in the state and in terms of temple architecture,this temple stands out to be an ultimate testmonial for the ancient vishwakarma sthapathis (wooden sculpture) in sculpting this temple along with Sabarimala. Bhagawati is one of the most popular deities in the area, Chottanikkara Devi is worshipped at the temple, in three different forms: as Saraswati in the morning, draped in white; as BhadraKali at noon, draped in crimson; and as Durga in the evening, decked in blue. Lord Shiva is also worshiped at the temple. People suffering from mental illnesses commonly visit the temple, as Bhagawati is thought to cure her devotees. One should not miss the ‘Guruthi Pooja’ in the ‘Keezhkkaavu’ temple at Chottanikkara. This is a ritual done at late evening to invoke the goddess. Earlier ‘Guruthi Pooja’ was done only on Fridays. But nowadays, it is performed everyday.

‘Chottanikara Makam thozhal’ is the famous religious festival temple

Kerala Pilgrim Tour Package in Attunkal Bhagavathi Temple

Kerala Tour Package in Attunkal Bhagavathi Temple

The Attukal Bhagavathy Temple is a shrine in Kerala, India. The temple is renowned for the annual Attukal Pongala festival, in which over a million women participate.[1] Attukal Temple is situated within 2 kilometres of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram.

he Goddess Kannaki (Parvathi) is the main deity in this temple. The mythology behind the temple, relates to the story of Kannagi who was married to Kovalan, son of a wealthy merchant. After marriage, Kovalan met a dancer and spent all his riches on her forgetting his wife. But when he was penniless, he went back to Kannagi. The only precious thing left to be sold was Kannagi’s pair of anklets. They went with it to the king of Madurai to sell it. But an anklet was stolen from the Queen which looked similar to Kannagi’s. When he tried to sell it, he was mistaken for the thief and beheaded by the king’s soldiers.

Kannagi got infuriated when she heard the news and rushed to the King with the second pair of anklet. She broke one of the anklets and it contained rubies while the Queen’s contained pearls. She cursed the city of Madurai, and it is said that due to her chastity, the curse came true. Kannagi is said to have attained salvation after the Goddess of the city appeared before her.

It is said that on her way to Kodungalloor, Kannagi passed Attukal. She took the form of a little girl. An old man was sitting on the banks of a stream, when the girl went to him and asked him whether he could help her cross it. Surprised to find the young girl alone, he took her home. But she disappeared. She came back in his sleep and asked him to build a temple where he found 3 golden lines in his grove. He went ahead and did the same, and it is said that this is at the location of the present Attukal temple.
Pongala festival
Worship during Attukal Pongala at Tippu Street, South Fort, Thiruvananthapuram.

Attukal Pongala is the main festival of this temple. Millions of women gather every year in the month of Kumbham around this temple and prepare Pongala (rice cooked with jaggery, ghee, coconut as well as other ingredients) in the open in small pots to please the Goddess Kannaki.
Other festivals

The other festivals in this temple are:

1. Mandala Vratham – Festival in connection with the annual Utsavam of Sabarimala
2. Vinayaka Chathurthi – Pooja to the Lord Ganapathy
3. Pooja Vaypu – Identical to Dussera festival (Saraswathy Pooja and Vidyarambham)
4. Sivarathri – Siva Pooja
5. Karthika – Karthika Deepa
6. Ayilya Pooja – Milk, flowers etc. offered to serpent God and special rites
7. Aiswarya Pooia – On all full moon (Pournami) days
8. Nirayum Puthariyum (Ramayana Parayanam) – During the month of Karkadakam
9. Akhandanama Japam – 4th Sunday of every month

Kerala Tour Pilgrim Tour Package in Vaikkom Maha Deva Temple

Kerala Pilgrim Tour Package in Vaikkom Maha Deva Temple

The Vaikom Mahadeva Temple is a temple for the Hindu god Shiva in Vaikom, Kerala. The temple, along with Ettumanoor Siva Temple, Kaduthuruthy Thaliyil Mahadeva Temple is considered a powerful trisome. The belief is that if a devotee worships at these three temples before ‘Ucha pooja’, all the wishes are fulfilled.

The Vaikom Mahadeva temple is one of the few temples which is held in reverence by both Shaivaites and the Vaishnavaites. Vaikom’s Shiva is fondly called Vaikkathappan. The Shiva Linga here is believed to be from the ‘Treta yuga’ and considered as one of the oldest temples in Kerala where pooja has not been broken since inception.

Vaikom Ashtami

The Vaikom temple is famous for the Vaikom Ashtami, one of its main festivals, which is held in November–December. The exact date of the festival is determined by the Malayalam calendar. Vaikathashtami is celebrated on the day of Krishna Ashtami. The legend behind this festival is that years ago a saint man prayed to god siva for years after many years God siva and his wife parvathy devi appeared in front of him. It is believed that god Siva appeared in front of him in the day of Krishna Ashtami. So as a memory of this vaikathashtami is celebrated. It is the festival extends for 12 days. 12th day is vaikathashtami.

Kerala Pilgrim Tour Package in Sabarimala

Kerala Pilgrim Tour Package in Sabarimala

Sabarimala is a Hindu pilgrimage center located in the Western Ghat mountain ranges of Pathanamthitta District, Perunad grama panchayat in Kerala. It is the largest annual pilgrimage in world with an estimated 45–50 million devotees visiting every year.

Sabarimala is believed to be the place where the Hindu God Ayyappan meditated after killing the powerful demoness, Mahishi. Ayyappan’s temple is situated here amidst 18 hills. The temple is situated on a hilltop at an altitude of 468 m (1535 ft) above mean sea level, and is surrounded by mountains and dense forests. Temples exist in each of the hills surrounding Sabarimala. While functional and intact temples exist at many places in the surrounding areas like Nilackal, Kalaketi, and Karimala, remnants of old temples survive to this day on remaining hills.

Sabarimala is linked to Hindu pilgrimage, predominantly for men of all ages.You can identify a Sabarimala pilgrim easily as they wear black or blue dress.They do not shave till the completion of pilgrimage and smear Vibhuti or Sandal paste on their forehead.Women between the ages of 10 and 50 are not allowed to enter the temple, since the story attributed to Ayyappa prohibits the entry of the women in the menstrual age group. This is because Ayyappan is a Bramachari (Celibate). The temple is open for worship only during the days of Mandalapooja (approximately November 15 to December 26), Makaravilakku (January 14- “Makara Sankranti”) and Vishu (April 14), and the first six days of each Malayalam month.