About the Temple & Location:
This sthalam is found in between Shoranur to Kallikottai, next to Pattambi. We can also reach this sthalam by traveling through Shoranur to Guruvayoor and one has to travel around 10 miles. While traveling by train, we have to get down in Pattambi railway station which is on the Shoranur – Kallikottai lane and after traveling 2 miles, we can reach this sthalam. Lodging facility in Pattambi is available.
This sthalam is popularly called as Thirumittakode Anchumoorthi Temple. It is a Hindu temple and is installed by sage Parasurama dedicated to Shiva and equally associated with the deities Vishnu and Shiva. Temple is situated on the banks of the Bharathapuzha at Thirumittacode of Palakkad District in Kerala state in India.
There are five shrines in the temple, one each of Shiva, Vishnu as Abhayapradhan, Vithuvakootuvalli, Vinayaga and Ayyappan.
As a Shiva temple, it is regarded as 108 Shivalayam of Shaivas. Constructed in the Kerala style of architecture, It is one of the 108 Divyadesam dedicated to Vishnu, who is worshipped as Uyyavandha Perumal and his consort Lakshmi as Vithuvakootuvalli.
The temple is built in Kerala style architecture, common in all temples in the South Indian state of Kerala in Eastern axis. The temple has no gateway tower and has an arch from the main road. A small rectangular wall around the temple, called Kshetra-Madilluka pierced by the gateways, encloses all the shrines of the temple. The metal plated flagpost or Dwajasthambam is located axial to the temple tower leading to the central sanctum. Chuttambalam is the outer pavilion within the temple walls. The central shrine and the associated hall is located in a rectangular structure called Nallambalam, which has pillared halls and corridors. Between the entrance of Nallambalam to the sanctum, there is a raised square platform called Namaskara Mandapa which has a pyramidal roof. Thevrapura, the kitchen used to cook offerings to the deity, is located on the left of Namaskara Mandapa from the entrance. Balithara is an altar used for making ritualistic offerings to demi-gods and the festive deities. The central shrine called Sreekovil houses the image of the presiding deity. It is on an elevated platform with a single door reached through five steps. As per Kerala rituals, only the main priest called Thantri and the second priest called Melsanthi alone can enter the Sree Kovil The central shrine has a circular plan with the base built of granite, superstructure built of laterite and conical roof made of terracotta tile supported from inside by a wooden structure.
Sthalapuranam :
It is said that this sthala Emperumaan is kept in the Agraharam (Where all Vaishnavas live in some place all together) in Vithukodu and after sometime, he is changed to this place. This sthalam also explains about the unity of Vaishnavam and Saivam.
As soon as we enter this sthalam, we can see a separate sannadhi for Lord Shiva and behind this is the Sannadhi for Uyyavantha perumal.
This sthala perumal is also called with the name “Abhaya pirathan” giving his seva and protecting (Abhayam) his bhaktas. It is said that this sthala perumal is said to be the same as the amsam of Lord Shiva with the name “Aabhathsagaayar”. (Abhath means danger and Sagayar means person who helps at the time of danger).
This sthala perumal gave his prathyaksham for Ambareesha. Ambareesh is the son of Nabhakanan and who is a great king. He was a great Vishnu bhakta and once he did a tapas against Vishnu and at that time, Emperuman Sriman Narayanan came there as “Devendran Indiran”. Seeing Devendran, Ambhareeshan told that he didn't do the tapas to see Indra, he did that to get the darshan of Sriman Narayanan. On hearing this, the Emperumaan, seeing his bhakti towards him, showed his original roopan and gave him lots of Varams.
Once, Ambhareeshan did fasting (Viradham) towards Emperumaan on all EkAdasi. He gave 60 cows and after Ekaadasi, he finished the Viratham by doing Paarayanam (devoting the perumal and then eating) on Dvadasi. Same way, once he did this Viradham and was waiting for some Narayana Bhaktas, so that he may give them the food and then he could eat. When he saw Duruvaasa, Duruvaasa said that he will accept the food from Ambareesha after bath. So, he went to Kalathi river and asked Ambareesha that he should finish the fasting only after he comes. Durvasa muni went to the river for bathing but didn’t come up till the end of Dvadasi. But, Ambareesha had to finish the Viratham by taking some food (or) water. At the end time of Dvadesi, Ambareesha could not wait for Duruvaasa Muni and took some water and finished the Viratham.
On seeing this, Durvasa muni got angry at him and sent an arakan (demon) to kill. But, Ambareesh with the help of Vishnu Chakram killed the Arakkan. Durvasa muni felt bad for his act and blessed Ambareesh.
Ambareesh asked this sthala perumal that he should get the dharshan of the perumal in Viyuga Avatar (perumal should be seen in all the directions) and as requested by Ambareesh, this sthala perumal, Uyyavantha perumal gives his seva in all the 4 directions. The perumal in the center is worshipped by Dharma, the west directional perumal is worshipped by Arjuna, the left side perumal is worshipped by Bheema and the perumal in the right side is worshipped by Nakula and Sahadeva. So, this perumal is worshipped by all the Pancha Pandavas and it is one of the historical issues that is explained.
And this sthalam is said to be the Mukthi Sthalam of Ambareesh.
There are some similar issues that are found to be common with this divyadesam and Thiru Chitrakoodam divyadesam. In both these divya desam, the perumal is found in Vyuha avatar by giving their seva in Nindra Thirukkolam in this sthalam and pallikonda thirukkolam in Thiru Chitrakoodam. In both of this sthalam, the perumal is said to be the amsam of Lord Shiva and Thiruchitrakoodam is said to have the relation with Ramayana and this sthalam is said to have the relation with Mahabharata.
In Thiru Chitrakoodam, Thirumangai alwar does the Mangalasasanam of the perumal using Sankara barana Ragam and likewise this sthala perumal is done the Mangalasasanam by Kulasekara Alwar with the same sankaraBharanam Ragam.
Festivals, religious importance and worship practices
During Mahabharata period, the Pandavas built the temple here. Arjuna established the temple and this is standing as Moolavar, main deity here. It is said that during Mahabharata period, the Pandavas reached the banks of Bharathapuzha during their exile and installed the idol of Vishnu. It is also said that the Ayodya king Ambareeksha got moksha at Thirumittakode. The Maha Vishnu of the temple is called Abhaya Pradhan Temple or Uyyavantha Perumal Temple. It is believed that Arjuna, one of the brothers, performed penance at this site.
The temple is open from 4 am to 11 am and 5 pm to 8 pm and is administered by the Travancore Devaswom Board of the Government of Kerala. The two major festivals celebrated in the temple are Vaikunta Ekadasi and Thiruvonam. The main annual festival for ten days each year in the month of Medam (April/May). The temple is under the administration of the Travancore Devaswom Board. Abhaya Pradhan is revered in Nalayira Divya Prabhandam, the 7th–9th century Vaishnava canon, by Kulasekara Alvar. The temple is classified as a Divyadesam, one of the 108 Vishnu temples that are mentioned in the book. During the 18th and 19th centuries, the temple finds mention in several works like 108 Tirupathi Anthathi by Divya Kavi Pillai Perumal Aiyangar. The Thiruvonam festival during the Tamil month of Margazhi and the Vaikunta Ekadasi during the month of Thai are the major festivals celebrated in the temple.
Moolavar:
The Moolavar of this sthalam is Uyyavantha Perumal. He is in Nindra Thirukkolam facing his thirumugham along the south direction. He is also named as “Abhayapirathan”. The perumal is pratyaksha for Ambareesh.
Thayaar
Vithuvakottu Valli is the Thayar in this sthalam. Also called as “Padmapaani Naachiyaar”.
Kulasekara Alwar – 10 Pasurams.
Total 10.
Pushkarani:
Chakra Theertham.
Vimanam:
Thathuva Kanchana Vimanam.
