Thirumittakode Anchumoorthi Temple

Introduction

Thirumittakode Anchumoorthi Temple is a Vishnu shrine. This Divya Desam of Kerala is regarded especially sacred, as the Azhwar saints have sung the praise of the Lord of this temple in their Tamil hymns. It is located in the Thirumittacode village, in the Palakkad District of the Kerala state, on the banks of the Bharathapuzha River or the Nila River. This is as much a Vishnu temple as it is a Shiva shrine. The word ‘Anchu’ in Malayalam translates to 5, and ‘Anchu Moothi’ denotes 5 deities. This temple is indeed dedicated to 5 deities - 4 Vishnu and 1 Shiva, and hence, is known as the Anchumoorthi Temple. Vishnu, the presiding deity of this temple is worshipped as Lord Abhaya Pradhan or Uyyavantha Perumal, and his consort is Padmasini.

Temple Legends

As per the legends, the temple is linked to the Mahabharata epic. It is said that the 5 Pandava princes came to this place on the banks of the Bharathapuzha river during their exile. Impressed with its natural beauty, they stayed here and installed the images of Vishnu and built temples. Arjuna is said to have done intense penance here and installed this idol. And this Lord is presently worshipped as the presiding deity in this temple.

According to another story, Goddess Lakshmi, and Gajendra, the king of elephants, were both worshipping Vishnu with lotus flowers, here. Once, Lakshmi used all the lotus flowers for her worship. Left with nothing to offer to the Lord, Gajendra prayed to him. Impressed with the devotion of both, Vishnu made Lakshmi stay by his side, and gave away the entire lotus garden to Gajendra. It is also said that Ambareesha, the Ayodya king, attained moksha at Thirumittakode.

Besides, Kerala is known as Parasurama Kshetram, as the land was claimed from the sea by Parasurama, regarded as an incarnation of Vishnu. He is said to have established many temples for Shiva here, and this temple is considered one among the 108 such Shiva shrines. It is also believed that a Brahmin named Kasi Viswanathan, came back after visiting the holy town Varanasi or Kasi. And it was he who established this shrine, and that this has the same power of the Kashi temple.

This place is also called the ‘Mumurthi Kshetra,’ as the holy Trinity of supreme Gods, Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma, all reside here. Many people offer ancestral worship to their departed forefathers on the banks of the river, which is similar to the custom followed in Varanasi.

The Architecture of Thirumittakode Anchumoorthi Temple

The temple is built in the Kerala style of architecture, with a granite stone base and roof fitted with red-colored tiles on a wooden base. There are 2 shrines in the inner chamber. The first one is dedicated to Lord Shiva, and the other one behind is the sanctum of Uyyavandha Perumal. The shrine is a rectangular structure with a conical roof on the top, known as the ‘Thatva Kanchana Vimana.’ Both the shrines are adorned with exquisitely carved sculptures and beautiful but dilapidated murals. Lord Ganapathy, Lord Dakshinamoorthy, and Goddess Durga are also housed in separate shrines. The temple complex is enclosed within a granite wall. ‘Chakra Theertam’ is the sacred water body of the temple.

Temple Festivals

Parasurama Jayanti, the day of birth of Lord Parasurama, is one of the important festivals celebrated here. It is observed on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya, that is, on the third day of the waxing Moon phase Shukla Paksha, in the month of Vaishakh (April-May). Onam and other Hindu festivals are also celebrated here, with religious fervor.

Benefits of worshipping the Lord of Thirumittakode Anchumoorthi Temple

Lord Vishnu stays here as Uyyavandha Perumal, the one who provides salvation. It is also believed that king Ambareesha got Moksha at Thirumittakode. Hence many people perform the rites for their ancestors in this temple, as it is considered equivalent to doing such rituals in the holy Varanasi. It is also believed that this can earn divine grace and the blessings of their ancestors and ensure the prosperity and well-being of them and their families.