Navrang India: Oldest snake temple — Mannarasala temple, Kerala
A popular serpent temple with the largest number of snake stone images. Here, pujas are done by hereditary woman priest
Located among the scenic landscapes, mesmerizing backwaters lined with gently swaying coconut groves, etc, the Kerala temples built in a unique style native to that region never fail to provide serene and quiet environment for the devotees who come to the temples for prayer and blessings. Upon their visit to the places of worship, they get back home satisfied with peace of mind and positive attitude. The Mannarasala Serpent temple, located in the middle of greenery is an interesting place to visit.
Haripad is a town in Alappuzha District, Kerala, S. India located between Alappuzha and Kollam towns. It is close to the Arabian Sea and connects Mavelikkara and Thrikkunnappuzha towns. It is the land of”Mayura Sandesa,” the land of fascinating snake boats, and of music, dance and drama native to this area.
Snake worship transcends religions and countries and has been in existence since ancient times and is still prevalent among Hindus and Christians. In Christianity too St. Mark is associated with snakes. “Some Christian churches are known to use venomous snakes as part of their worship drawing inspiration from the gospel of Mark 16:18. Ancient Israelis and Egyptians, Africans, Cambodians, Mesopotamians and Nordic communities have religious belief related to snakes.
There is a plethora of tales of Serpent gods and goddesses found in the Hindu mythology. In the Hindu pantheon there are Naga gods and goddesses.
Nagpanchami in many parts of India and Ayilayam pooja in Kerala are important festivals that attract a large number of devotees to the snake temples. The strong belief, that snakes represent good spell of rain, fertility and prosperity, is common across the length and breadth of India.
Among the 48 Hindu temples there and in the fringe areas surrounding the countryside of Kerala , two most famous temples are Subrahmanya Swamy temple and Mannarasala Temple; the former dedicated to Lord Subramanya, is one of the oldest temples in Kerala and was severely damaged but for Koothambalam and gold flag mast in 1096 AD. The temple was rebuilt during the time of King Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma (1930–1949 ); the latter is a Nagaraja temple located near Haripad in the midst of a forest area doted with thousands of stone carved snake images all along the paths and in the tree shades. There are more than 30,000 stone-carved snake images. Perhaps, the largest temple in terms of stone idols of snakes installed and dedicated to serpents in the world. It is also an ancient temple and a major center of pilgrimage for the devotees of serpent God Nagaraja (also Nagarajan).
It is believed to have been established by Lord Parasurama. Sarpa Yakshi and Naga Yakshi are the beloved consorts of Nagaraja. Here Nagaraja — main deity is endowed with the form of Hari (Lord Vishnu) and the spirit of Lord Shiva. Unlike other temples of Kerala or else where, the beliefs and rituals associated with the Mannarasala temple are altogether different and this is the only temple where the puja protocol is headed by a Brahman woman. It is rare to see women priests in the Hindu temples. Coming from a hereditary family, enjoying rights to conduct temple pooja here, the woman assumes the role of a mother. Legend has it that the first priestess gave birth to a five-headed Naga which is believed to safeguard the family. The ancient household (illam) now known as Eringadappally Illam “Moolakudumbam” or the main ancestral house sanctified as the residence of Brahmins who are believed to have been appointed by Lord Parashurama to perform poojas for the serpents in Manarasala Temple. The legends say, Lord Parashurama gifted this land to a Brahmin family who hailed from Irinjalakkuda, a place in the present Thrissur district.
Childless couples from all over Kerala and other states and sometimes overseas come over here reposing deep faith in the presiding deity’s power to grant a child. To propitiate the God and to seek His blessings and fertility, they undertake the initial pilgrimage to this temple. Once their prayer is granted and are blessed with a baby, they come back here — a sort of thanksgiving pilgrimage with the baby and a stone image of a snake to be installed at the temple as a mark of gratitude, and besides, they do special pooja (prayer) and conduct thanksgiving ceremonies.
Brahmacharini (unmarried; practice of strict celibacy) and observing long hours of meditation, prayer and fasting as a priest, she blesses the people for good health, prosperity and longevity. The woman head priest observes: ‘’Those who worship me with faith and devotion will have have every thing and be free from diseases.’’ The woman priests who come from that family are said to have some kind of mystical power.
The Ayilyam day in Tulam, Kanni and Kumbham months in the Malayalam calendar and the Mahasivarathri are celebrated here with great pomp and religious fervor. The Ayilyam in Kanni is the birthday of Nagaraja and that in Kumbham is the birthday of Anantha, the Muthassan of Nilavara (cellar)+
Mannarasala Aayilyam is the major festival here celebrated in the month of Kanni and Thulam (September — October). As part of the festival, all snake stone images on the temple premises and in the groves are taken in a procession to the illam (Veedu in Tamil) of the priest family that is associated with the temple. Offerings — rice-flour and milk ( Nurum palum), cooked rice and red fluid made by mixing lime and lemon are offered. The important feature of this traditional procession is the female priest herself will carry the idol of Nagaraja with devotion and the entire oorvalam (procession) is conducted with intense passion and commitment. Sivarathri, another festival dedicated to God Shiva assumes much importance in this temple of Nagaraja. On the evening of Shivaratri there will be deepa aradhana and the temple is well lit and fasting is compulsory on that day.
The Mannarasala Sree Nagaraja Temple, an ancient and well-known temple dedicated to the serpent gods, is nestled in a forest glade, like most temples that are dedicated to the snake gods and is one of the foremost places of worship of the Snake gods in South India.
Ref:
http://navrangindia.blogspot.com/2016/06/fascinating-mannarasala-serpent-temple.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mannarasala_Temple Kuruthi
https://www.nativeplanet.com/travel-guide/mannarasala-sree-nagaraja-temple-best-time-visit-mannaras/articlecontent-pf17005-003508.html
www.mannarasala.org
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mannarasala_Temple
Originally published at http://navrangindia.blogspot.com.
