Aranmula Parthasarathy temple
On 18th february 2021 after visiting Thiruvalla Sree Valabha temple and Chenganur Mahadeva shethram we reached Aranmula Parthasarathy temple 10 km from Chengannur on the banks of river pampa .
The temple has a long history .
It was listed as one of the 108 Vaishnavite divya deshoms and is said to have originated during the times of Mahabharatha itself .
During Kurukshetra war Bheesma pita on being instigated by Duruyodhana fights Arjuna with ferocity using celestial weapons .
Arjunas bow Gandhiva is even broken and Lord Krishna who was watching Arjunas collapse jumps from chariot and angrily takes his chakra or disc to kill Bheesma , but is reminded by Arjuna on his promise of not taking up weapons in the war .
After war the Pandavas make Parikshit son of Abhimanyu the king and go on for a pilgrimage .
In the south they come to river Pampa and each Pandavar builds a temple to propiate for sins of war .
Arjunas temple is in Nilackal near Sabarimala and in deep forest so later tribals bring idol found by river using bamboo raft hence Aru ..mulla , or six mulla means bamboo boat .
Another tale talks of a very handsome shining boy found in Nilackal forest who is brought to banks of pamba and he selects the place but next day is not seen anymore and its here that the temple is built .
Krishna is in the form of parthasarathy but without the whip of a charioteer as its form that jumps down chariot to confront Bheesma with chakra in one hand ,conch in another, mace and lotus in others .
In 1880 the temple was destroyed by a fire though not the idol and was rebuilt in 1883 by Karthika thirunal .
The main idol faces east and river Pamba to which there are 57 steps .
The entrance in the west has 18 steps .
In november december vrischigham festival is called Pandrandu Kalabham where for 12 days kalabham or sandalwood paste is used to cover idol .
And also Vilakku .
Main festival is in January which is for 10 days and on 10th day idol is given ceremonial bath in river called as Aarattu .
The sixth day of festival is when idol is taken on Garuda .
The biggest festival is Aranmulla Vallam or boat festival on day next to Onam or Uthratathi .
This is day of consecration of idol by Arjuna and is celebrated by long boats racing each other each with 100 oars not a sports but a religious festival .
9 km from Aranmula is a place called Kattur where a brahmin gentleman called Mangattu Bhatathiri used to feed brahmins on every Thiruvonam day .
Once he could find no brahmin to feed and felt very sad when an young handsome brahmin came and took his feast .
The gentleman was very happy and requested the young brahmin to come on every thiruvonams for which the brahmin told him it could be difficult .
Later lord krishna comes in a dream to Mangattu Bhatathiri and tells him he had been his guest and instructed him to bring feast to Aranmula temple every year on Uthratathi .
Mangat Bhatathiri used a huge snake boat laden with food and two boats to protect it and the feast after offering to Lord was taken by many .
Its famous Aranmula valla sadya ie brought by boat or Vallam .
Once a rival family out of jealousy attacked the main boat straying food into river .
Seeing this the common people of both banks collected food matireals and take it to temple as a procession and prepared the feast and this is a continuing ritual every year .
The food is brought with singing traditional boat songs .
One of the dishes in the feast is very famous which is Aranmula varutha erisseri made of coconut raw plantains and yam .
The Aranmula mirror is legendary as its made of polished metal which reflects like a mirror made of copper and tin and secret formula knoen by mettalurgists brought from Thirunelveli
The famous Aranmula boat race is a religious festival not a sports festival .
Courtesy some pictures from online most are mine
