Mannarsaala Shethram

Mannarsaala Temple .

On the way to Trivandrum from Ernakulam after Allepey before Kayamkulam 3 km from  Haripad one reached the Mannarssala temple .

It was almost a km inside the NH .

Lord Parasurama the seventh avatar of Vishnu is said to have created Kerala from the sea after he was advised by devas to propitiate by giving land to Brahmins for having committed the sin of killing kshatriyas in anger many times over .

He prays to Lord Varuna who gives him an axe or mazhu to throw into the Arabian sea  and to use the area covered by the axe which would turn into land .

Parasurama does that and mythology states that was kerala .

In the story of the temple after getting the land Parasurama realises it coming from sea is full of salinity and nothing would grow there so no brahmin was keen on staying in that land .

So Parasurama goes into penance again to lord Shiva who appears after long asks him to pray to serpent king Nagaraja to allow the poison from serpents to cleanse the land of ots saltiness .

Parasurama prays for long and Nagaraja who is a melding of Trimurtis appears before him in resplendent glory agrees to send serpents to purify the land making it green fertile and beautiful .

He also says he the Nagaraja himself would have his presence here forever .

After Parasurama entrusted the village and temple to Nagaraja to a brahmin family teaching them the rites and rituals needed .

Many years pass and in the family comes a couple who are sad as they have no children .

Vasuki and Narayanan .

There is a fire in the forest which burns many snakes resident in forest around the temple .

The couple tend to thier wounds using honey ghee other cooling ungents give them medicines and nourishing food with milk puffed rice plantains etc and heal them .

They also pray to Nagaraja who is pleased with them tells them he will be born as thier child and leave them after some time .

The temple still gives noorum paalum as prasad ie rice and milk as offering .

The couple have two children one a five hooded serpent Nagaraja and other a human child .

Both grow up together .

After becoming adults Nagaraja asks his brother to marry to continue the family as he would go into permanent meditation fpr the welfare of his subjects .

He asks his mother to do the poojas and rituals and after her time the eldest lady in family would do so .

This ritual still continues .

The woman priest is revered as Amma or mother and Nagaraja as Appoopan or grandfather who is inside a room in the temple .

This is an example of female superiority in kerala temples .

Most activists protesting on Sabarimalas age restriction in women know nothing of temples where prirority is given to women .

Many of the female activists are not aware how much importance keralas ancient society gave to women even in carrying on legacy and property of family in marumakathayam .

The same sacred family still runs the affairs of the temple as a trust based on documents and instructions of velliya amma or big mother .

Parasurama had adviced his subjects to nurture and care for forests and sacred groves not to harm serpents .

Uruli kamuthal or keeping bronze cooking  vessel upside down for childless couples will grace them with children .

Among the important functions is Mahasivarathri since the temple and family is associated with the Lord adorned with serpents .

Its said once Vasuki walked upto a tree a km away blowing all sand creating a pond caled karoli its said he repeats this walk every sivarathri to see his creation .

The second important function is the Ayilyam of Kanni which is the birthday of Nagaraja the Muthassan .

Every year the Maharaja of Travancore would unfailingly attend this function ,once he could come only in Thulam but made it up by creating a very grand festival celebrated still .

After this Aayilyam of Thulaam is celebrated .

On day next to Sivarathri the big mother opens the cellar to offer nurumpalum and on fifth day its given as prasadam to the family members .

On Sivarathri there is sarpabali and ezhunellathu .

For sarpabali family members grind rice for offering and this is on Sivarathri due to attachment the Mannarsaala family has to sarpabushana or one who carries serpents on him .

The Sarpam pattu is once in 42 years only .

It needs great preparation and manpower with seven virgin girls along with amma and veliya amma sing songs lasting for many days till the velliya amma gets into a trance and tells if Nagaraja is satisfied and also fortells future .

Many pictures posted here are from temple website .if objected can be removed

Rest pictures are mine