Om Namah Shivaya!
About Peruvanam Shri Madadeva Temple
The Peruvanam Shri Mahadeva temple is situated in Cherpu area of Thrissur district in Kerala. The temple is one of the oldest temples in India itself and is among the 108 Shiva temples in Kerala.
Quick Information –
| Nearest Airport | Cochin – (COK) Approximately 46 Kms |
| Travel Time from Cochin airport | Approximately 1 hr 15 mins |
| Travel Option from Cochin Airport | Uber cab or Private taxi services are available from Cochin Airport |
| Nearest Railway Station | Thrissur (Station Code – TCR), Approximately 10.5 Kms |
| Travel Time from Railway Station | Approximately 30 Minutes |
| Travel Options from Thrissur | Taxi, BUS, Uber |
| Nearest Bus Stop | Peruvanam Bus Stop is well connected with Thrissur town |
| Dress Code | Traditional Indian dress is mandatory. Men in Dhoti and women in Churidar or Saree |
| Temple Timings | 05:00 AM to 10:30 AM and 05:00 PM to 07:30 PM |
History and Legends
There are a lot of history and beliefs around Peruvanam Shri Mahadeva Temple. It is estimated to be 3500 years old temple. There are beliefs also attached to Maharshi Puru who did meditation here and therefore, the village was named Puruvanam (Vanam is forest in the Malayalam language) which later was colloquially called Peruvanam.
One interesting story is that Maharshi Puru was on a journey from Kailasa with the Shivalinga given by Lord Shiva himself. Upon reaching the village, he felt Lord Shiva’s presence and decided to spend time there. In order to take bath, he built a pond (now called Todukulam), and he placed the Shivalinga on a tree. However, after his bath, he was unable to retrieve the Shivalinga from the tree and therefore, the consecration was performed there itself. That deity is now known as “Madathilappan”.
The Devatas were happy and showered flowers from above and today, there is a field nearby called “Poochindi padam” (Padam – Malayalam name for field). Legends have it that there are relations to this temple with Lord Parasuraman. Lord Parasuram divided Kerala into 64 villages and Peruvanam was one of the most important villages.
Deity at Peruvanam Shri Mahadeva Temple
The main deity is Lord Shiva. There are two Shivalinga’s in the Garbhagriha/ Sreekovil and therefore is called “Erattayappan”. It is considered to be Umamaheswara Pratishtha. The Shivalingas are Swayambhu and west-facing.
Shri Parvathy Pratishtha is behind the main deity of Erattayappan. You need to walk anti clockwise to the back of Garbhagriha to reach Shri Parvathy Pratishtha which is east facing.
Approximately 10 feet from the Garbhagriha/ Sreekovil towards the south is the Madathilappan Pratishtha. The Madathilappan Shivalinga is one that cannot be held by 1 person alone. It is believed that without a divine intervention, it would have been impossible to perform the Pratishtha of the Shivalinga. This Pratishtha is around 120 feet above ground level. Another interesting fact is that the Sreekovil of Madathilappan and the Sreekovil at Vadakkumnathan Temple are aligned in a straight line.
The Sreekovil of Peruvanam Shri Mahadeva Temple has three stories. Shri Maha Ganapati Pratishtha is facing east towards the main deity, Rakteswari, Dakshinamoorthy, and Manikanthan Pratishtha’s to the north. There is Puru Maharshi Pratishtha as well towards the south-west corner inside the temple premises.
Goshala Krishnan is one of the Upadevathas in Peruvanam Shri Mahadeva Temple.
Festivals and Festivities at Peruvanam Shri Mahadeva Temple
Peruvanam Pooram
In the Malayalam month of Meena and on Pooyam nakshatra day, Pooram festival is organised in the Peruvanam Shri Mahadeva Temple. It is estimated that the Pooram festival has been ongoing for at least 1438 years. 11 Durga Bhagvati deities from the surrounding areas visit the Peruvanam Shri Mahadeva temple during the Pooram festival. The major highlight of the Pooram is the beautifully decorated elephant pageantry carrying the various temple deities.
Architecture
The temple is situated in more than 7-acre land with lots of trees giving the devotees a serene and immensely devotional feeling. The temple is constructed in the Kerala style architecture. There are several carvings inside the temple. The Peruvanam Shri Mahadeva Temple is also a protected monument under the Archaeology Survey of India (ASI). One should do the pradakshina of the temple and surely will feel immense solitude and peace.
Administration
This is the only temple in Kerala that is managed by 2 Dewaswom bodies, namely Travancore Dewaswom and Kochin Dewaswom boards.
How to reach
The Peruvanam Mahadeva Temple is approximately 10 kilometres away from Thrissur railway station. One can hire a taxi from Thrissur or board a bus from Shaktan Thamburan bus stand.
Accommodation
* Above are a few good accommodation options at Thrissur.
Nearby Places of Interest
- Shakthan Thampuran Palace
- Vazhachal Waterfalls
- Athirapilly Waterfalls
- Punnathoor Kotta
- Vilangan Hills
- Kerala Kalamandalam
- Chavakkad Beach
- Vaidyarathnam Ayurveda Museum
- Thiruvullakkavu Shri Dharma Shatha Temple
- Kadampuzha Temple, Cherpu
