Thirumandhamkunnu Temple

Introduction to the Thirumandhamkunnu Temple

The Thirumandhamkunnu Temple is in Angadipuram, near Perinthalmanna, Malappuram district, Kerala. It is otherwise called Thirumandhamkunnu Bhagavathy Temple. The temple is dedicated to Thirumandhamkunniliamma, or Bhadrakali, who was the official deity of the kings of Valluvanad, the local feudal kings of that region during the Middle Ages.

Legend of the Thirumandhamkunnu Temple

King Mandhata of the Surya dynasty, an ardent follower of Shiva, once ruled the region. He performed penance on the Kailash mountain. Shiva, pleased with his worship, blessed him with the Shiva Lingam, which his consort Parvati worshipped religiously.

Knowing that Shiva had gifted the Shiva Lingam to King Mandhata, Parvati declared war on the king to get the Shiva Lingam back. Though unarmed, the king faced the battle to shield and retain his divine gift.

During the battle, the Shiva Lingam split. Hence, Devi withdrew from the battle by accepting the fact.

Parvati established herself near the Shiva Lingam. Thus, the Shiva Lingam is accompanied by the huge idol of Parvati, also named Thirumandhamkunniliamma by the local people. The idol of Ganesha is beside the divine couple.

The Architecture of the Thirumandhamkunnu Temple

The King of Valluvanad, a great devotee of the deity, built the Thirumandhamkunnu Temple in the 17th century. King Mandhata of the Surya dynasty was the major contributor to this temple, which was built in the Kerala architectural style and renovated in 1944.

Though Shiva is the prime deity here, Bhagavathy is predominantly worshipped.

The sanctum enshrines Bhagavathy or Thirumandhamkunniliamma, an incarnation of Bhadrakali. Mandhathav Maharishi installed her Panchaloha idol here. The idol of Bhagavathy is 1.8 meters high and faces west. She has eight arms, in which she holds a trident, sword, serpent, club, shield, head of the demon Darika, bell, and Vattala (a circular plate).

The Thirumandhamkunnu Temple has several other structures, including the Namaskara Mandapam, where devotees can offer prayers, and the Dhwaja Sthambam. There is also a Bali Peetam, a raised platform where offerings are made. A temple pond here is believed to have healing powers. The Thirumandhamkunnu Temple features many paintings that depict the legend behind the temple's origin.

Benefits of Worshipping at the Thirumandhamkunnu Temple

The deity Thirumandhamkunniliamma is believed to be powerful, and offering prayers to her is highly beneficial.

The Thirumandhamkunnu Temple is famous for Mangalya Pooja, in which devotees make offerings to Ganesha to nullify marriage problems. The most important part of this Mangalya Pooja is that it must be performed three times (once every year), even if the devotee gets married during this phase.

Many devotees visit the Thirumandhamkunnu Temple and worship Bhagavathy for prosperity and salvation.

Festivals in the Thirumandhamkunnu Temple

The Thirumandhamkunnu Temple conducts many festivals, which attract hordes of devotees. Thirumandhamkunnu Pooram is the most famous festival celebrated in the Malayalam month of Kumbham (February/March). It lasts for eleven days and features music performances and traditional dances.

Navratri is another important festival celebrated in the Malayalam month of Kanni (September/October). It lasts for nine days and is dedicated to Bhagavathy. The temple is grandly decorated during the festival, and devotees worship and give offerings to the deity.