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Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Chengannur Mahadeva Temple, Alappuzha – The Temple

Chengannur Mahadeva Temple, Alappuzha – The Temple
The temple is located in the heart of Chengannur town. It is situated on the southern banks of Pamba River. The temple is built in Kerala style architecture, which is common in all temples in the South Indian state of Kerala. It is one of the oldest and famous temples and has a sprawling temple complex with a circular Sanctum. The temple has a two storeyed gopuram or a gateway tower, with the upper storey having wooden trails covering the Kottupura (a hall of drum beating during festivals).



A rectangular wall around the temple, called Kshetra-Mahilika pierced by the gateways, encloses all the shrines of the temple. The golden plated flag post or Dwajastambam is located axial to the temple tower leading to the central sanctum and there is a Deepastambam, which is the light post. Chuttambalam is the outer pavilion within the temple walls. The central shrine and the associated hall is located in a rectangular structure called Naalambalam.



Between the entrance of Naalambalam to the sanctum, there is a raised square platform called Namaskara Mandapa which has a pyramidal roof. Thevapura, the kitchen used to cook offering to the deity is located on the left of Namaskara Mandapa from the entrance. Balithara is an altar is used for making ritualistic offering to demi-gods and the festive deities.


The central shrine called Sree Kovil houses the image of the presiding deity. It is on an elevated platform with a single door reached through a flight of five steps. Either sides of the doors have images of guardian deities called Dwarapalakas. As per Kerala rituals, only the main priest called Thantri and the second priest called Mel Shanthi alone can enter the Sree Kovil. 


The central shrine has a circular plan with the base built of granite, superstructure built of laterite and conical roof made of terracotta tile supported from inside by a wooden structure. The lower half of Sree Kovil consists of the basement, the pillar or the wall, called stambha or bhithi and the entablature called prastara in the ratio 1:2:1, in height. Similarly, the upper half is divided into the neck called griva, the roof tower called shikhara and the finial kalasam (made of copper) in the same ratio.


The roof projects in two levels to protect the inner structure from heavy rains during monsoon. The roof of the temple and some of the pillars have lavish wood and stucco carvings depicting various stories of ancient epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata. The presiding deity is Mahadeva, in the form of Lingam faces east, while the image of his consort, Bhagavathy is located exactly behind facing West. The image of Bhagavathy is made of Panchaloka, an alloy of five metals. It is believed that Perumthachan brought the image to the temple.


The Shivalingam, is covered with a gold plate bearing an image of Ardhanareeswarar (Shiva-Shakti manifestation of Shiva). There are shrines for Ganapathy, Sastha, Chandikeswarar, Ganga, Nagas and Neela Greevan in the Temple premises. There is also a shrine of Krishna nearby. The Mukhamandapam in front of the temple and other mandapams in this temple are full of exquisite woodwork. The performance hall or the Koothambalam in the temple complex is an unfinished structure conceived in a manner such that if lamps were lit on each of the posts, the performer's shadow would not fall on the stage.

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