Thirunelli temple

 Thirunelli temple wyanad ..

I had been putting off writing on this beautiful temple in the most scenic locale of Wyanad among hills forests and streams because i wanted to a worthy post for such an exotic ancient temple .

This shrine is surrounded by mountains Bramhagiri ranges  in North ,Kambha ranges  in south, Narinidheni ranges  in East, and Karimala hills in West .

It has a very mystic aura to it .

Its 900 meters ASL 32 Km from Mananthavady near border of Kerala with Karnataka .

It is very ancient too .

In Padma Purana Veda Vyasha describes a temple to Deva devasha in Amalakhi Sheyra on Sahya mountain .

Its as sacred as Kashi ,Gaya ,Rameshwaram and is called Thenkasi and Dakshina Gaya .

Lord Brahma is said to have seen Lord Vishnu in an Amalakha grove in Brahmagiri hills here calling it Thirunelli Perumal he consecrated and installed idol with help of Devas 

Even today Lord Brahma is supposed to do Vishnu pooja at night after temple closes .

And chief priest always leaves behind puja matireals for it at night .

Lord Vishnu agrees to Brahmas request to grace the temple and says the waters of the Papanasini river would wash all sins .

It is said Parasurama himself is said to have visited the temple to wash his sins and pray for his father Jamatgani .

A secret tunnel is said to exist through Narinirangi mala to Kotiyoor temple though itsnt found now .

The temple is said to have around 64 water bodies the most famous is panchateertham pond .

Several royal families patronised the temple like the Chirakkal ,Kottayam ,Kadathanaadu 

The owners initially were from Kottayam family who later gave it to Moosath community .

In 1939 it was brought under Malabar Dewasom .

Gunika cave  temple is a small cave temple between Thirunelli and papanaasini river .

Its said to be connected with Kotiyoor temple .

There is a ritual of Bhootethe paranjekkal to Kotiyoor temple and back .

Theres another tradition of asking before starting  festival of Thiruvangad Rama temple if the festival in Thirunelli is over 

Tirunelli  temple is famous for post death rituals .

People immerse ashes of dead relatives which would be carried to River Kaveri and to the sea .

The Pancha teertham is made of five water sources .

A granite aqueduct brings fresh water from long distances to temple as it has no wells .

The wife of the Chirakal king of Varikyar family is supposed to have built the granite aqueducts .

The temple village has broad tiled road adequate parking homely lodges but its also in midst of dense forests and hills and wild animals .

We reached by afternoon and refreshed ourselves in a new hotel owned by one of the big priests .

By evening we puffed our way in uphill road and wrnt down many steps on side of temple to reack papanasini .We had no plans for any puja or rites .

So it was photographing in outer precints only .

We were stunned by beauty of temple with granite pandal well designed sanctum sanctorum and outer compound .

Though it was dark the smal shops were all open .

We again went at 5 am in morning to temple again  and the scene was exotic .

We started our drive back by early morning on our drive through Nagarhole forest reserve to reach Mysuru