This famous, ancient temple is situated at the
heart of Cherthala town in Alappuzha district. It is one of the 108 legendary
Bhagavathy temples in Kerala. Legend says that Sree Vilwamangalath Swamiyar once
came to Cherthala as he was returning after worshipping Padmanabha Swamy at Thiruvananthapuram.
There he saw a very beautiful lady enjoying herself on a swing on a Thambaka tree.
The Swamiyar understood that it was Goddess Karthyayani who was sitting on the
swing. As he approached the Goddess, she disappeared into a pond. The Swamiyar
followed her. This was repeated at seven ponds until she reached the pond which
was at the
more
place where the temple is situated now. The pond was full of silt
and she could not get out of it easily. Swamiyar caught hold of her hair and
the head got severed from the body. He consecrated the head in the dirt of the
pond. As the Swamiyar uttered the name Pumschali (prostitute) as he consecreted
her, there are some special rituals performed here on the stars Aayilyam, Makam
and Poormam in which obscene songs are sung. Apart from Karthyayani Devi, there
are Ganapathy, Mahavishnu, Siva, Yakshi, Ananthasivan, Naagakav and Kavudayon
as the sub deities. The place where Swamiyar saw the Goddess on the swing is
still preserved as the Sree Moola Sthaanam. This is the only temple in Kerala where
the Aaraattu (ceremonial dipping of the idol in water) is held in the morning
and evening on every day of the festival.
Please wait...