Temple details

Chengannur Mahadeva Temple

History

This famous temple is at Chenganoor in the Alappuzha district. There are many legends about the consecration of the Goddess here. According to Devipuanam, it is connected with the Yaga performed by Daksha, the father of Sathy Devi. Though Daksha invited everybody else he left out his daughter and her husband Lord Siva. Devi wanted to attend the Yaga. Siva warned her that she would be humiliated there. Still, she went there. The father not only ignored her but also spoke ill about Lord Siva. Enraged by this Sathy Devi immolated herself in the sacrificial fire. Hearing about it Siva sent Veerabhadra to destroy the more clan of Daksha. Then Siva rushed to the Yaga and started dancing vigorously with the body of Sathy in his hands. Seeing the sorrow of Siva, Vishnu sent his Sudarsana Chakra and cut the body of the Devi into several parts. The Arakettu (loins) is believed to have fallen where the Chenganoor temple stands today. According to Aithihyamala, a famous book of legends, once Vishnu, Brahma, all the Devas, Gandharvas, Sages and Gods went to the Himalayas to attend the wedding of Siva and Parvathy. Then Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara requested Sage Agasthya to sit on Shronadri on the southern bank of the Pamba River in order to prevent the earth from sinking to the northern side due the weight of all those assembled on the Himalayas. Though Agasthya agreed to do it, he was disappointed at not being able to witness the wedding. So, Siva and Parvathy appeared before him immediately after the wedding. The Devi started having her menstrual period at that time and stayed there till the period was over. The place where Agasthya stayed, Shronadri in Sanskrit became Chenkunnu in Malayalam and later it came to be Chenganoor. According to the Silapathikaram, Kannaki who is believed to be an incarnation of Sathy Devi, killed Pandya Raja, the King of Madurai who had killed her husband. Then she came to Chenganoor and meditated on top of the hill. Her husband Kovalan appeared before her and the two of them ascended to heaven. The people who had seen the Devi meditating there built a temple at the spot with the help of their king, Cheran Senkuttuvan. This monarch is believed to have brought a piece of stone from the Himalayas, carved the image of the Goddess and consecrated her there.

Poojas

Sivapooja ശിവപൂജ ₹135

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