Alappuzha-Churches

 

Chavara Bhavan   

It is situated in ‘Kynakary’ a small village in the back waters of Alapuzha, is the ancestral form of Father Kuriakose Elias Chavara. Father Chavara is among the three Malayalee candidates under consideration for sainthood by the Vatican.

The place is now a spiritual resort where devotees gather for prayers and receive favors. The 250 year old monument preserves the “Beacon of light”, intact in its original form that continues to be burn. The house is a simple wooden structure consisting of three rooms and an under ground meditation enclosure. A church has been built around the house as a mark of respect for this holy place. A museum originally located here has been shifted to Kottayam.

St George orthodox Syrian Church

               This church is considered to be one of the oldest Syrian churches. It has been constructed partially with portions of an old 13^th century church located at Haripad.the main attraction of this church is its porches and porticos, fashioned after typical temple architecture. The tourists come to the ancient church to see its exquisite mural paintings(Eg :the frescoes).the themes are  all biblical ranging from the annunciation of Mary, Jesus ,birth, the flight unto Egypt., the last supper and the crucifixion of Christ.

St Mary’s Church

            This church is established in 1870 by St Thomas. The annual feast falls on the 3^rd Sunday of October but the feast of St.Joseph, celebrated on March 19^th, is also a big event. Nearby, there is a place that makes wooden statues of Christ for export around the world. There is also a chundan Vallom, a snake boat, in its thatched shed, tucked away inside a narrow inlet. Measuring 130 feet long and manned by more than hundred rowers during the races, it is the pride of the community.

St. George Forane Church  

            The massive church is located on the banks on the Pamba, established in 1810.It is believed that prayers offered at this church help to heal mental disorders and other ailments. During the annual feast, pilgrims from all parts of South India, irrespective of creed, visit the church to seek the blessings of the saint. They bring images of human organs and serpents, made of gold and silver, as votive offerings. The statue of St. George, decked in gold, is taken out in a procession and placed on the dais at the centre of the Basilica. The feast culminates with a display of fireworks.

Alappuzha-Temples

Ambalappuzha Sree Krishna Temple

Chakkulath Kavu Bhagavathi Temple

It situated in the border of the Pathanamthitta & Alapuzha. The famous rivers Pamba and Manimala flow on either side of the temple. This temple , which has Goddess Vanadurga as the presiding deity , has a special affinity for women and children and is popular with women devotees.’NARI POOJA’ where womanhood is extolled – which is part of annual ‘Panthrandu Noyambu’ festival, is performed with fervor in this temple . Every year hundreds of devotees witness the ritual of feet washing that the ‘Manusmrithi’ verse, “Wherever women are being worshiped, there will be glory and prosperity” This temple is model religious amity, allowing all people, irrespective of their religion or cast, entry with in.

Chettikulangara Bhagavathi Temple

 The deity an incarnation of Badhrakali is supposed it posses is miraculous powers and there are many legends relating to the favors conferred by the deity on her devotees. The ‘Kettu Kazcha festival at this temple draws large crowds of devotees. Tall structure on chariots, brightly decorated effigies of horses, larger than life figures of epic characters and decorated chariots are brought to the temple in a spectacular procession ritual and folk art forms like ‘Padayani, Kolkali and       Ammankudam are performed along site. An all night Kathakali performance makes the conclusion of the cultural fair.

The one day annual Bharani festival is also a popular event the day is marked with special ritual like; Kuthiyottam’ performances and “Kettu Kazcha” procession Kuthiyottam is a 1200 year old preformed by young boys. In front of the sanctum sanctorum we can see 11 feet high, 13 tired stone lamp, capable of holding a thousands wicks, it is said to be the largest and most elaborate lamp in India.

Subramanya temple

               It has one of Kerala’s oldest and most important Subramanya temples and this temple considered the largest Sree Murugan temple in Kerala. This temple is renowned for its architectural splendor the tall flag mast, the large temple tank and koothambalam (theater) which has some exquisite wooden carvings on its ceiling. It is believed that the four-armed idol, fashioned after the sculptural pattern of the Buddhist period and worshipped by Lord Parasuarama was found in a river. The boat race at Payippad (3km).for 3 days commemorates the rescue of this idol and subsequent of the building of the temple.

Mannarassala snake temple

               Mannarassala is the largest with 30000 images of snake gods along the path and among the trees, and many snakes living around the temple. Childless women come for blessing and return for a ‘thanksgiving’ceremony afterwards when the child born to the couple is placed on special scales and gifts in kind, equaling the weight, are donated.

It is believed that when Pandavas set fire to the Khanadava forest, the snakes that managed to escape came to Mannarassala and settled there. Even today, when families clear land of snakes, granite idols are often placed in the Mannarassala shrine. Thus the shrine has acres of land full of serpent idols. Childless couples offer a cauldron here and conduct certain poojas, to receive the snake god’s blessings to beget a child. A priestess, who is the senior-most female member of the Mannarassala Brahmin family, conducts the Pooja.

Ambalapuzha Sree Krishna temple

In this temple Krishna is worshiped in the infant avatar. Paintings of the 10 incarnations of lord Vishnu adorn the inner walls of the chuttambalam. The temple complex also houses a small structure called the Guruvayoor temple where the deity of Lord Krishna of Guruvayoor was kept in safe custody during the 1790 invasion of Tipu Sulthan. During the annual festival, which falls in April, thousands of devotees frequent the temple and partake in the feast. And once every 12 years, sorcerers perform the pallipana. The temple isalso renowned for its palpayasam, the daily offering of the milk rice, the legendary gift of a Brahmin to the poor. Very few temples have the good fortune, or the karma of possessing idols that are made by god, Krishna-at Guruvayoor, Tripunithura and Ambalapuzha. Legend has it that once the Brahmin ruler of Chempakasseri, pooradam thirunal thampuran, was traveling by boat with the sage villwamangalam swami, when they heard melodious strains of the flute. The music emanated from the south east corner of the present temple at Ambalapuzha, where a peepal tree stands. The sage, an ardent devotee of Krishna, recognized celestial music. They disembarked, went around the tree and prostrated themselves. And hence the name Ambalapuzha reached by crossing the river.                

There is also a legend why Ambalapuzha’s famous palpayasam is offered at the noon Pooja. Once , the Chempakasseri Thampuran had borrowed some paddy from a Brahmin from ‘Thalavadi’ during a famine , the Raja righteously undertook the feeding of his subject , and was unable to repay the loan which soon mounted , with interest ,to 36000 Paras of paddy . One day, when the Raja came to the temple for darsan, the Brahmin demanded his paddy and threatened that he wouldn’t allow any worship until the debt was cleared .The Thampuran ordered his Minister to clear the debt immediately, but there was in sufficient stock of paddy. Some how the required quantity was collected and before noon, the elephant house before the temple was overflowing with contribution. The paddy was measured at the eastern side of the temples to the Brahmin’s satisfaction. However, the Minister asked the Brahmin to clear the paddy before the mid day Pooja otherwise it would interfere with the rituals. If the Brahmin failed to remove the paddy with in the stipulated time it would be confiscated to the temple. Predictably, the poor Brahmin could not get a single porter to remove the paddy. In the meantime, the sanctum sanctorum was closed for the midday Pooja. When the sreekovil was reopened, the Brahmin acknowledged the Raja’s righteousness and offered the paddy to the Lord Krishna. He also started that palpayasam should prepared daily and offering it to the deity at the midday Pooja, be distributed among devotees. This is the famous Ambalapuzha palpayasam, the color of which is golden and the taste is unique.

Every morning, before dawn, the Namboothiries start their preparation. Milk and water are poured into a heavy cauldron. By sunrise, the mixture comes to a boil, a process continued for six more hours. Then, the washed and winnowed rice is added into the simmering liquid and stirred continuously. At 11.45 am, sugar is poured, mixed and the cauldron lifted off the fire, strung onto bamboo poles and carried to the sanctum. Water for the payasam still comes from the sacred Mani kinar,   an old well south west to the temple, where the rice is also washed. But the milk now comes from the local milk dairy and other societies. The payasam costs Rs 32 per liter. On an average, 150 liters are made every day but there is never any surplus. The temple has also been patronized by great literary gems like Melpathur Narayana Bhattathirippad, Thunchath Ezhuthachan and Kunchan Nambiar.Oottan Thullal, the satirical art form created by poet Kunchan nambiar, was first performed here.