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Pathira Kunnathu Mana
Serpent worship is common among Hindus. It is particularly common among the Hindus of Kerala. The state has several temples dedicated to the worship of serpents (nagas). The most famous among these are the ones at Mannarasala, Pathirakkunnathu Mana and Pambumekkattu (or Pambimelkkavu). The main shrine of Nagaraja is inside the Mana which is a Brahmin household. Mannarasala in Alappusha district, of course, is the most famous of these and receives tens of thousands of devotees. The serpent temples at Pambumekkattu (Thrissur district) and Pathirakkunnathu Manu (Palakkad district) are not as famous but they serve as the Mannarasala to devotees in Malabar. In Malayalam the word Mana refers to a Brahmin household. This temple is owned and managed by the Brahmin family of Pathira Kunnathu Mana. While the temple can be visited at any time of the year, most devotees prefer to visit during the Malayalam month of Vrishchikam (mid-November to mid-December). Most Hindu families in the districts of Thrissur, Palakkad and Malappuram make it a point to visit the temple at least once a year to protect themselves and their family from snakes. The main shrine of Nagaraja (the king of serpents) is inside the Mana. Devotees can also visit the snake grooves spread over acres of land. There are some small shrines inside the groove. Devotees take the prasadam available from here (turmeric paste, vibhooti (holy ash) and rice) home. They consume some of it and sprinkle the rest over their land. This is done to protect the house and its surrounding from harmful snakes. How to reach? Pathira Kunnathu Mana is in the Mundakkottukurissi village of Shoranur. It takes about 30 minutes by road to reach the Mana from Shornur. It is only a short distance from...
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Pathira kunnathu Mana in Mundakkottukurissi village of Shoranur, is located about 50 kms from Palakkad, dedicated to Lord Nagaraja, the serpent God. This is one of the three important serpent temples of Kerala. (The other two are Mannarasala and Pambimelkavu).
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Sarpakavu (Grove of Snakes): Sarpakavus - groves specially meant for snakes - had been, for ages, an integral part of most traditional dwellings of Kerala. Hinduism reveres snakes and so it was customary to set apart some land, not too far from the house, exclusively for snakes.
It was forbidden to kill the snakes or to destroy the flora of the groves. This meant that the land would gradually become a mini jungle. Medicinal plants were commonly seen. The gigantic trees and thickly grown shrubs and vines that harboured a a variety of poisonous and harmless snakes used to give the groves a foreboding appearance.
Inside the grove, a snake shrine would be built for the serpent god who, it was believed, would bring prosperity to the family. Apart from the occasional prayers and ritualistic feeding of milk to the snakes to please the serpent gods, human interventions in these ecosystems were practically nil. Thus, the religious beliefs indirectly promoted the conservation of natural resources.
These groves played a significant part in preserving the biodiversity and ecological balance of the neighbouring areas. The Government and the Forest Department have come up with a lot of programmes to spread awareness of this particular role of...
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This temple is owned and managed by the Brahmin family of Pathira Kunnathu Mana. While the temple can be visited at any time of the year, most devotees prefer to visit during the Malayalam month of Vrishchikam (mid-November to mid-December). Most Hindu families in the districts of Thrissur, Palakkad and Malappuram make it a point to visit the temple at least once a year to protect themselves and their family from snakes.
If you are visiting in Vrishchikam be sure to reach early in the morning. If you can manage to reach the shrine before 7 am, you will be able to get darshan easily. Expect long queues if you arrive after 8 am.
The main shrine of Nagaraja (the king of serpents) is inside the Mana. Devotees can also visit the snake grooves spread over acres of land. There are some small shrines inside the groove.
Devotees take the prasadam available from here (turmeric paste, vibhooti (holy ash) and rice) home. They consume some of it and sprinkle the rest over their land. This is done to protect the house and its surrounding from harmful snakes.
Pathira Kunnathu Mana is in the Mundakkottukurissi village of Shoranur. It takes about 30 minutes by road to reach the Mana from Shornur. It is only a short distance from...
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