page_title: Kottiyoor Temple
section_title: Rites and Rituals schedule
hierarchical_section_title: Kottiyoor Temple / Rites and Rituals schedule
caption_attribution_description: English: During the festival season May-June every year devotees throng to Akkare-Kottiyoor temple, which is closed for the other eleven months. Odappu, a "flower" made of bamboo pieces instantly is a thing every devotee buys from the temple to his home to be hung there for a year. Here is a shop selling the same.
context_page_description: Kottiyoor Temple is a prominent Shiva temple in Kerala. Vadakkeshwaram Temple is the common name of the temple from ancient time, but some of the local people addresses the temple as Ikkare Kottiyoor as it is on the bank of the river close to the Kottiyoor village; to differentiate it from the shrine in the other side of the river. Thruchherumana Kshetram is the proper name of Kottiyoor temple. The temple is a special category temple under Malabar Devaswom board.
  There are two temples in Kottiyoor - one on the western bank of the Vavali river - and the other one on the eastern bank of the Bavali river. The shrine on the east bank is a temporary hermitage opened only during the Kottiyoor Vysakha Mahotsavam. The Vadakkeshwaram or Ikkare Kottiyoor on the western bank of the river is a permanent temple complex like all other temples. It remains closed throughout the year except for the 27 days of Vysakha festival. The temple is situated in a densely forested area amidst a sacred grove that covers about 80 acres.
context_section_description: Present day rituals of Kottiyoor were set out by Sri Shankaracharya. With his spiritual vision, he felt the presence of Shiva at 'Akkare Kottiyoor' and not willing to pollute the holy ground with the touch of his feet, prayed from 'Ekkare Kottiyoor' and left.
  The Vaisakha Maholsavam festival is held every year during the months of May - June. The twenty eight-day festival commences with the 'Neyyattam' ritual on the 'chodi' Day in Edavam (rishabham) and concludes with the Thrikkalashaattu. The Vaisakha Maholsavam celebrations begin with the ritual of bringing a sword from Muthirerikavu from Wayanad. On the following day, on Visakham star, Bhandaram Ezhunnallath ritual is held. Gold vessels and heavenly ornaments made of precious metals and precious stones are brought from the nearby Manathana village to Kottiyoor.
  An important ritual during the festival is the 'Elaneer Vayppu' or submitting tender coconuts before the swayambhu Shiva linga. On this special day, thousands of tender coconuts carried from different parts of Kerala by the devotees are submitted. The following day, the main priest of the temple, pours the collected coconut water on to the idol which is known as 'Elaneeraattam'. Rohini Aaradhana is a very important ritual which is not seen in any other temple. Kurumathur Brahman (The senior most member of Kurumathur family considered as the embodiment of Vishnu in the ritual) embraces the swayambhu Shiva linga as part of the ritual. The belief is Vishnu pacifying Shiva who is saddened by the loss of Sati.
  As a part of the festival, a procession (Ezhunnallippu) is held with two elephants carrying the idols of Shiva and Parvathi. After the procession, the elephants are fed well (Aanayootu) and given a formal farewell.
  The Thammangadan Nambiar Family (The Vediyara Chandrothu Family), a sub-branch of the Thiruvithamkur/Kolathiri Royal Family), used to (and still do) have by tradition, exclusive right to being the first to have their Ghee offered to the Deity for 'Abhishekam', during the "Naallam Thurakkal" ritual, at the Kottiyur Shiva Temple, believed to be the site for the famous Yajna of Daksha. "Villippalan Kurup" is the name, by which the member of this Family, performing the ghee-offering ritual is known.
caption: Bamboo flower maker
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