Panachikkadu Dakshina Mookambika Temple — Attraction in Kerala

Panachickadu Saraswathi Temple, Panachickadu, Kottayam District.

The Saraswathi temple in the Panachikadu village of Kottayam district, Kerala is known as Dakshina (Southern) Mookambi. Eventhough many Saraswathi temples perform pooja only during the ' Navarathri period', this temple offers pooja throughout giving ' darshan' to the devotees.

This temple is situated in the panachikadu village 11 kilometers away from the well known Kottayam District Head Quarters of South Kerala. This village resembles the famous Kodajadri,. In the Main Central Road( MC Road), between Kottayam and Changanassery, there is a small village called Chingavanam. Travelling 4 kilometers east fromChangavanam one can reach the temple situated in an idyllic and beautiful place.

The Panachikkadu Temple, also known as the Dakshana Mookambika (Mookambika of the South) Temple, is a Hindu temple dedicated to the goddess Saraswati. The temple is located in the southern region of the Indian Peninsula, in Panachikkad prominent in Kottayam, Kerala, India. It is one of the most prominent Saraswati temples in Kerala. But, the main deity of the temple is Lord Vishnu, who was installed long before Goddess Saraswati. Still the temple is known as Saraswati temple, due to the popularity of the Goddess. There are sub-shrines for Lord Shiva, Lord Ganapathi, Lord Ayyappan, snake deities and Yakshi inside the temple.

Kottarathil Sankunni's Aithihyamala has a detailed description of the temple, which has more than a thousand years of history. Nambudiri Kizhapuram Illam had no male heirs to carry out the rites. He was about 60 years of age and had lost all hope of having a son. He set off to Varanasi to take a bath in the holy River Ganges. On the way, he stopped at Mookambika and stayed there for a few days and prayed to his deity. The serenity of the place enamored him and he decided to chant bhajans there for a year. After spending a year in the temple, the old man dreamed of a beautiful woman who appeared and told him that it was impossible for him to have a child in this life, and told him that it would be better for him to go back to his home and adopt a child from a family Karunattu nearby. The woman of that family would be destined to have two children in the near future. The old man accepted his fate and returned to his homeland.

Upon reaching Panachikkadu, he decided to take a bath in the temple pond. He put his Olakuda, an umbrella made of palm leaves, on the southern side of the temple and went to bathe. After the bath, he tried to pick up his umbrella, but he couldn't. The Nambudiri stood puzzled. Then a man magically materialized and explained to the Nambudiri that the Goddess Mookambika Devi was staying in the umbrella and that the Nambudiri would have to transfer the divinity to an idol before he could retrieve the umbrella. He also told the Nambudiri that an idol suitable for transfer was lying hidden in the nearby forest. He warned him that he would have to appease its protector, a Yakshi, before taking the idol. The Nambudiri did as he was told and the Goddess Panachikkadu Devi was established as the deity of the place. Another smaller idol was placed facing west as Archana Bimbam. The idol was erected in a low terrain filled with water without a roof, making it seem as if the Devi was seated in the middle of a pond.

The main idol is now covered with creepers and shrubs and is not clearly visible. The leaves of the creepers are considered Saraswati leaves. The spring water flows continuously until it touches the feet of the Devi. This water never dries, not even in the peak time of summer. Since the Devi remains on such a saras (small rivulet), the Goddess is called Saraswati. The water required for pooja and other needs is drawn from the spring. No other water sources seem to exist.

Surroundings

Above the Saraswati temple on the western side, there is a natural habitat made of exotic plants and their fragrant flowers. There lives the Yakshi, who is at once fastidious and easily made happy. The idol of a Brahmarakshas is...

Most Famous Saraswati Temple in Kerala

The Sarawathi temple in the panachikadu village of Kottayam district, Kerala is known as Dakshina (southern) Mookambi. Eventhough many sarawathi temples perform pooja only during the ‘Navarathri period;, this temple offers pooja throughout giving ‘darshan’ to the devotees. This temple is situated in the panachikadu village 11 kilometers away from the well known Kottayam District Head Quarters of southern Kerala. This village resembles the famous kodajadri.in the main central Road, between Kottayam and changanasery, there is a small town called chingavanam. Traveling 4 kilometers east from chingavanam one can reach the temple situated in an idyllic and beautiful place. When we reach the precincts of the temple we see first a “Vishnu temple “.just a few metres south of the Vishnu shrine we can see the ‘saraswathy temple’ in a natural valley with the water dripping and flowing around the idol. The temple does not have the traditional sanctum sanctorum and other pompous structures of the temples elsewhere. There is a rectangular pond like structure as though it has been caved out of a granite hillock. In this pond there grows lush green creeper plants of exquisite beauty. Covered by the creeper the original ‘idol’ of saraswathy remains. Near the original idol of “devi saraswathy”there is another alternate idol on which all the poojas are performed. Two things specially to be noticed here are the creepers and the immaculate spring. The leaves of the creepers which cover the idol are considered saraswathy leaves. The water comes from the spring here flows touching the feet of the “Devi” never dries even in the peak time of summer. Since the devi remains on such a “Saras” (small rivulet) the name saraswathy becomes meaningful. The water required for poojas and other needs are taken from the spring. No well or other water sources are available here. Above the saraswathy temple on the western side there is a natural habitat made of exotic plants and their fragrant flowers. Here lives the ‘yakshi’ who is atonce fastidious and easily made happy. The idol of ‘brahmarakshasu’ is also installed here. Eventhough there are yakshi shrines in other temples, as well, the power of the yakshi at panachikadu seem to be super. In addition there are idol of Siva, Sastha, Ganapathi, Nagayakshi, Nagaraja and the like sub deities too here.

In the ‘lthihyamala’of kottarathil sankunni there is a detailed description of this temple-this temple having more than one thousand years of history, there are three Brahmin families, kizhupuram,Karunad and kaimukku,asits traditional care takers. From among these illams a respectful Brahmin from the kizhupurathillam disappointed by not getting a male child, took up a journey to Ganges to take holy bath. On the way reaching mookambika he stayed there for a few days praying to the deity there. One day the devi appeared before him and advised him to go back to his native place. She told him that a nampoothiri lady of Karunattillam is now pregnant and that she will deliver two children. One of the children be adopted by him as his own and bring him up. As directed by the devi the next day the devotee took bath, worshipped the devi and returned to his house. In his palm leaf umbrella there was Devi’s blessing and power. When he reached Panachikad,the palm umbrella become stiff without any movement. then holy Godman appeared before him and pronounced that there is devi’s power and blessings in the umbrella. He advised the Brahmin to do poojas and the power of saraswathy be installed in a temple at Panachikadu. An idol which was lying deserted there was seen. The Brahmin was told to incarnate the power of the devi in this old idol which was worshipped by Godman with supernatural power long time ago. Since such Godmen with supernatural powers are not available now an alternate idol was installed...

The sarawathi temple in the panachikadu village of Kottayam district, Kerala is known as Dakshina (southern) Mookambi. Eventhough many sarawathi temples perform pooja only during the ‘Navarathri period, this temple offers pooja throughout giving ‘darshan’ to the devotees.

Two things specially to be noticed here are the creepers and the immaculate spring. The leaves of the creepers which cover the idol are considered saraswathy leaves. The water comes from the spring here flows touching the feet of the “Devi” never dries even in the peak time of summer. Since the devi remains on such a “Saras” (small rivulet) the name saraswathy becomes meaningful. The water required for poojas and other needs are taken from the spring. No well or other water sources are available here. Above the saraswathy temple on the western side there is a natural habitat made of exotic plants and their fragrant flowers. Here lives the ‘yakshi’ who is atonce fastidious and easily made happy. The idol of ‘brahmarakshasu’ is also installed here. Eventhough there are yakshi shrines in other temples, as well, the power of the yakshi at panachikadu seem to be super. In addition there are idol of Siva, Sastha, Ganapathi, Nagayakshi, Nagaraja and the like sub deities too here.

When we reach the precincts of the temple we see first a “Vishnu temple” just a few metres south of the Vishnu shrine we can see the ‘saraswathy temple’ in a natural valley with the water dripping and flowing around the idol. The temple does not have the traditional sanctum sanctorum and other pompous structures of the temples elsewhere. There is a rectangular pond like structure as though it has been caved out of a granite hillock. In this pond there grows lush green creeper plants of exquisite beauty. Covered by the creeper the original ‘idol’ of saraswathy remains. Near the original idol of “devi saraswathy” there is another alternate idol on which all the poojas are performed.

In the ‘lthihyamala’ of kottarathil sankunni there is a detailed description of this temple-this temple having more than one thousand years of history, there are three Brahmin families, kizhupuram,Karunad and kaimukku,asits traditional care takers. From among these illams a respectful Brahmin from the kizhupurathillam disappointed by not getting a male child, took up a journey to Ganges to take holy bath. On the way reaching mookambika he stayed there for a few days praying to the deity there. One day the devi appeared before him and advised him to go back to his native place. She told him that a nampoothiri lady of Karunattillam is now pregnant and that she will deliver two children. One of the children be adopted by him as his own and bring him up. As directed by the devi the next day the devotee took bath, worshipped the devi and returned to his house. In his palm leaf umbrella there was Devi’s blessing and power. When he reached Panachikad,the palm umbrella become stiff without any movement. then holy Godman appeared before him and pronounced that there is devi’s power and blessings in the umbrella. He advised the Brahmin to do poojas and the power of saraswathy be installed in a temple at Panachikadu. An idol which was lying deserted there was seen. The Brahmin was told to incarnate the power of the devi in this old idol which was worshipped by Godman with supernatural power long time ago. Since such Godmen with supernatural powers are not available now an alternate idol was installed in Panachikad. Even today in the temple of the care takers traditional rituals and poojas are performed as of then. The order in which Pooja performed to Mahavishnu, sarawathy, Ganapathy, Siva, Sastha,Yakshii, and Nagaraja. Like the Ganges which touches the feet of Vishnu it is form the feet of Vishnu that the holy water flows to the shrine of...