Trichittatt Maha Vishnu Temple, Chengannur

Introduction

Thrichittatt Maha Vishnu Temple is a place of worship of Lord Vishnu. This is principally dedicated to Krishna, the most popular Avatar of Vishnu, where he is worshipped as Imayavarappan. This temple is located in Chengannur, in the Alappuzha district of Kerala. The Azhwar saints have glorified this Lord in their Tamil Divyaprabhandham compositions, and hence this temple is counted among the Divya Desams, regarded as the sacred abodes of Vishnu. This Imayavarappan temple, also known as the Thiruchenkundrur Divya Desam, is believed to be one of the 5 shrines built by the 5 Pandava brothers for Vishnu-Krishna in Kerala and hence is closely connected with the Mahabharatha epic. Yudhishthira, the eldest of the Pandavas, is said to have established this temple.

Temple Legends

After ruling Hastinapura for many years, the Pandavas handed over the reins of the kingdom to Arjuna's grandson Parikshit, and then, were said to have come to Kerala on a pilgrimage. There, each of them was believed to have installed an image of their guiding force, Krishna, on the banks of river Pamba and built a temple for him. And the Thrichittatt Maha Vishnu Temple was so built by Yudhishthira. It is also said that Yudhishthira, who was an embodiment of virtue and who never spoke untruth in his life, took recourse to falsehood for defeating his Guru Drona in the Kurukshetra war. To expiate for the sin, Yudhishthira is said to have done intense penance here. As per another version, the Pandavas were worshipping these idols when they were ruling their kingdom, and later, installed these images along the Pamba banks in Kerala.

According to another story, the Devas or the celestials, known as 'Imayavar' in the local language, worshipped this Lord even before Yudhishthira. Hence, the deity got the name Imayavarappan. Built by the eldest Pandava, this temple is regarded as the primary one among the Vishnu temples established by the Pandavas.

The History and Architecture of Thrichittatt Maha Vishnu Temple, Chengannur

The temple inscriptions show that the structure belongs to the 8th to 12 century CE. The temple is of a typical Kerala architectural style. The structure is without a Rajagopuram, an entrance tower, and with all its shrines, is surrounded by Kshetra-Madilluka, the compound wall. Nallambalam, the central structure with pillared halls and corridors, contains the main shrine known as the Sreekovil. This has a circular shape and a granite base and lies on a raised platform reached by a flight of steps. The presiding deity Imayavarappan is standing in the sanctum facing West, holding the conch in his right hand. This main idol is about 4 feet tall, and the Lord is in his magnificent Vishwaroopa form, which he showed to Arjuna in the great Mahabharata war. The Dwajasthambam, the flag mast, the Balithara, the altar where the sacred offerings are made, and the Namaskara Mandapa, the worship hall, are all there in front. There are also shrines for Krishna's elder brother Balarama, Sastha, Bhagavathy, Nagaraja, and Yakshi. The exquisite wooden carvings of the temple are noteworthy.

Temple Festivals

The Vaikunta Ekadasi is a grand festival celebrated during the Tamil month Margazhi (December-January). The Tiruvonam star day and the festival associated with Thiruvaimozhi, the sacred composition of saint Nammazhwar, are also observed with devotion and enthusiasm, here.

Benefits of worshipping the Lord of Thrichittatt Maha Vishnu Temple

Lord Krishna appeared in his mammoth Vishhvaroopa form, here. It is believed that the Lord's grace can clear away all the devotees' problems and help them lead a life of purity and bliss.