Dear friends,
This posting is about Ambalappuzha Lord Krishna temple. My first visit to the temple was in 1964, along with my medical test by DMO Alleppy for joining as clerk in Madras CTO.
While going from home I got down at Ambalappuzha, prayed to deity, booked payasam and went to meet DMO. After medical check up I returned and collected payasam and returned home. I have visited Ambalappuzha temple few more times. What attracted me was the very big temple pond in the front of the temple during my first visit. Information in this posting are compiled from websites.
Sincerely,
Gopala Krishnan 27-9-2010
Reposted on 24-07-2020 after editing and updating. R. Gopala Krishnan
1Introduction
Once Pooratam Thirunal Thampuran, ruler of Champakasseri (which was a small principality now known as Ambalapuzha) was travelling in boat accompanied by sage Vilwamangalam Swamiyar. They suddenly heard the melodious strains of the flute. The music emanated from the southeast corner of the present temple at Ambalapuzha, where a peepal tree stands. The sage, the ardent devotee of Krishna, at once recognized that the music was that of the Lord. Therefore he and the ruler got down, circumambulated the tree and prostrated themselves before it.
Vilwamangalam Swamiyar thus helped the Thampuran to have a vision of Sri Krishna in the same way as he had helped Manaveda Zamorin to see God. Inspired by this the Zamorin wrote the Krishna Gita.
Now the Thampuran was inspired to build a temple and install a Gopala or cowherd Krishna at the spot. Accordingly a beautiful temple was built and an idol of Sri Krishna in black granite stone was carved out for installation. While elaborate arrangements were being made for the consecration, it was found to the dismay and disillusionment of everyone that the idol had been damaged on the left side and was therefore unfit for installation
2 Disappointment
The learned Puthumana Valia Nambudiripad who was to officiate at the ceremony pronounced this. The ruler, the various dignitaries and the vast multitude that had assembled for the function were stunned and felt utterly disappointed at this. Someone even challenged the Tantri to prove his point. It did not take Iong for the Tantri to do so, well-versed as he was in mantras, tantras and Sastras. All he did was to tap with a piece of iron, at the damaged spot and out jumped a frog and some dirty liquid!
The Thampuran felt most unhappy at the turn of events. It was again Vilwamangalam Swamy who came to rescue and advised him to get the idol of Parthasarathy from Kurichi, a neighboring place belonging to Thek kumkoor Raja. But it was not an easy job because the Thekkumkoor Raja was not on friendly terms with the Champakasseri Thampuran. If the idol was taken by force, a fierce contest might follow between the two rulers and who could forecast that the Champakasseri Thampurar would come out successful in the contest? And if the idol was stolen that would be unbecoming of a ruler and in any case it would be unfit for consecration being tainted by the sin of stealth.
3 Dilemma
The Thampuran thus found himself in a dilemma. However, after considerable deliberation he executed the following plan. The Thampuran's minister went to Kurichi and quietly got permission from the owner of the idol. The same night the minister, accompanied by a handful of soldiers, reached the border of Thekkumkoor by country boats. They stayed behind in their tents while at dead of night the idol was removed to the boats. Then the soldiers opened fire into the air, proclaimed aloud by beating their drums that they were taking home the idol by force and that anybody who dared to check them might do so
The soldiers of Thekkumkoor woke up from their slumber but they did nothing to stop the intruders and prevent the loss of merely a granite stone image. Next morning the minister and party arrived at Champakulam madam where the Thampuran went to receive the idol, which was ceremoniously taken to the temple. This event took place on the Moolam day of a Mithunam (June-July). It is to commemorate this that the Champakulam boat race is held every year. The idol was duly installed in the temple at a propitious time on Thiruvonam day in Mithunam in 1613 A.D.
4 Surrender to the Deity
This is the origin of the famous Sri Krishna temple at Ambalapuzha. It is said that in the old Travancore State, seven temples were considered 'great among the great temples. These were Kanyakumari, Suchindram, Trivandrum, Haripad, Ambalapuzha, Ettumanur and Vaikom. Of these, Kanyakumari and Suchindram have now gone to Tamil Nadu. Further it is believed that in Kerala there are three god-made Krishna idols. These are at Guruvayur, Tripunathura and Ambalapuzha. Such is the greatness of Ambalapuzha temple.
The Pooratam Thampuran after consecrating the temple surrendered his State to Sri Krishna and ruled the country as His vice-regent assuming the name of Devanarayanan. There is a story behind this. Once the king expressed his keen desire to Vilwamangala Swamiyar to see Sri Krishna in flesh and blood. The Swamiyar agreed but asked the king: "What would you offer to the Lord? Even Kuchela offered Krishna beaten rice." To this the king replied that he would offer his all including the kingdom, which he did when the sage himself offered puja the next day When the ruler did see the sacred hand of the Lord extended to bless him.
When the last ruler of the Champakasseri dynasty was defeated and taken prisoner by Marthanda Varma it was only after Placing the key of the State granary and the royal treasury at the feet of the Lord that he surrendered to the enemy.During the invasion of Tipu in 1790 A.D. the deity Sri Krishna installed in Guruvayur temple was brought here for safe custody anct installed temporarily in a room to tile South of the temple. After the retreat of Tipu, the idol was taken back to Guruvayur. This spot is still sacred here and is known as Guruvayurambalam
My note- During a later date I visited the temple and offered prayers in this location. Now in the location a large picture of Guruvayoorappan is kept.
5 Famous for Palpayasam
The Ambalapuzha shrine is famous for its Palpayasam, milk porridge of exceptional sweetness. As Nalamkal put it, it is one of the wonders of Kerala. This is the most important offering at the temple at the uccha (noon) puja. There is a legend behind the introduction of Palpayasam as an offering.
Once the Champakasseri Thampuran had borrowed some paddy from a Brahmin belonging to Thalavady. For some reason, the Thampuran could not repay the same for a long time. One day when the ruler came to the temple for darshan the Brahmin accosted him and demanded his paddy immediately. The Thampuran asked his Minister to clear off the debt and left the place.
The poor minister was in a quandary. There was no sufficient stock of paddy to clear the debt. Somehow he managed to collect the required quantity from nearby houses and measured out the paddy in the Anakottil on the East Side of the temple to the satisfaction of the Brahmin. But the minister asked the Brahmin to remove the entire paddy before the midday puja as otherwise it could cause inconvenience to the rituals to be conducted on the occasion. He also made it clear that if the Brahmin failed to remove the paddy within the stipulated time it would be confiscated to the temple.Time was when whatever quantity of milk available for sale in Ambalapuzha was purchased and the entire Payasam was distributed free. But now only a limited quantity viz. 12 litters of milk, 9 kgs rice and 16 kgs; of sugars are used and this naivedyam is available only for sale in limited quantities.
My note- My grandmother had her home Thalavati before marrying and coming to Pandalam- she has told me
Kunchan Nambiar, the famous Malayalam poet-satirist and exponent of Ottam Thullal, was associated with the Ambalapuzha temple since he was for several years a member of the court of the ruler of Champakasseri. When the principality was annexed by Marthanda Varma of Travancore in 1754 Nambiar too migrated to Trivandrum where he enjoyed the patronage of that ruler and his Successor. He is said to have returned to- Champakasseri in 1765 and died within a few years.
6. Temple festival
The ten-day annual festival of the temple commences with the flag-hoisting ceremony on the Atham day in Meenam (March-April). The arattu Utsavam takes place in Thiruvonam day i.e. the tenth day.
But much importance is attached to the ninth-day festival. On this day the famous Natakasala (dance hall) sadya or feast is held in honor of the Marars, the traditional artists who play the percussion instruments.In ancient days nearly 900 paras of rice was cook and pure boiled milk was supplied for drinking, instead water. This would indicate how grand this feasts us to be.
7 Natakasala sadya
There is a story behind the Natakasala Sadya. Once on the ninth festival day, Vilwamangalam Swamiyar came worship at the temple. He could not see the Lord in the sanctum. He came out and saw the Lord serving to the Marars. When the sage expressed his surprise the Lord told him: "These are the artists who contribute the success of my festival. Therefore, I am myself serving them."
There used to be feasts on other days of the festival also. On the first day 100 paras of rice was on the second day 200 paras and so on, each paras being added. Such was the lavish scale Utsavam were conducted in olden days. In fact in the erstwhile Travancore State, the Utsavam at four were foremost. Ambalapuzha was one of them, the other three being: Haripad, Ettumanur and Vaikom.
My note- Now daily food is served limited number of devotees in the after noon with simple dishes in the temple after uchhapooja to the devotees. Devotees Queue for the food in the afternoon.
8 Vijayabali
A celebration called Vijayabali is conducted in this temple. This comes once in one hundred and forty-four years. The last Vijayabali was conducted in the year 1955. Pallipana is another festival conducted once in twelve years.
9 idol
The Vigraha at Ambalapuzha looks like Parthasarati with a whip in the right hand and shankha in the left. But the deity is worshipped as Unnikrishna or chi Krishna.
Let us recall the beautiful description of Krishna in Lilasukha's Srikrishna karnamritham.
Kasturitilakam lalataphalake, vaksahsthale Kaustubham,
nasagre navamauktikam, Karatale venum Kare Kankanam.
sarvange harichandanam ca kalayan, kanthe ca muktavalim
gopastriparivestito vijayate gopalacudamani.
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