page_title: Koodalmanikyam Temple
section_title: Rituals and annual festival
hierarchical_section_title: Koodalmanikyam Temple / Rituals and annual festival
caption_attribution_description: English: Elephant parade during Koodalmanikyam Annual festival
context_page_description: Koodalmanikyam Temple or Kudal Manikkam Temple / Koodalmanikkam Temple is a Hindu temple in Irinjalakuda, Kerala. The temple comprises a main structure, a walled compound with citadels, and four ponds around the main structure one of which is within the walls.
  Koodalmanikyam Temple is the only ancient temple in India dedicated to the worship of Bharata, the third brother of Rama, however the idol is that of Vishnu. "Sangameshwara" is another name associated with the deity at Koodalmanikyam.
  The temple is one of four in Kerala state that form a set called "Nalambalam", each temple dedicated to one of the four brothers in Ramayana: Rama, Bharata, Lakshmana and Shatrughna.
  The Thachudaya Kaimal as "Manikkam Keralar" is the spiritual chief and the temporal ruler of the Koodalmanikyam Temple and its Estates. The line goes back to antiquity and is mentioned in the Skanda Purana. The temporal rights over the ancient temple, that is the office of the Kaimal and the office of "Melkoyma".
context_section_description: The custom in most of the temples in Kerala is to have five poojas and three sivelis a day. But in Koodalmanikyam there are only three poojas and no siveli. There is no Usha Puja and Pantheeradi Puja at this shrine. The deity is taken out for ceremonial procession only during the annual festival. There is no deeparadhana. There are plans to start deeparadhana here. This is the only temple without Deeparadhana.
  Sticks and camphor are not used for the pooja. The floral offerings to the deity consist of lotus, tulasi (ocimum sanctum) and thechi (ixora). But they are not grown in the temple compound. No other flower is taken for pooja or for making garlands. Lotus garland is an important offering to the deity. A garland will be offered to the deity which does have not less than 101 lotus flowers.
  The temple holds its chief annual festival for ten days each year in the month of Medam (April/May). The first day of the festival is calculated by the appearance of the Uthram asterism and signified by hoisting a ceremonial flag. (The start day falls one day after the famous Thrissur Pooram festival in nearby Thrissur.)
  Each day of the festival, a seeveli (procession of caparisoned temple elephants) is held twice, once in the morning and once at night, to the accompaniment of Panchari melam (sacred music). Seventeen elephants take part. Two features of the seeveli are unique to the Koodalmanikyam Temple: first that two baby elephants are included in the procession, one standing on each side of the elephant carrying the deity. Second, while the headdresses ('Netti pattam' in Malayalam) of seven elephants are made of pure gold, the rest are made of pure silver. The last two days of the festival feature Panchavadyam (sacred music from an orchestra of five instruments), and the festival ends at the Thiruvonam asterism.
caption: Elephant parade during the annual festival
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