Overview

Sree Chandrasekhara Swamy / Lankeswarathappan

The Shiva was installed by Vibheeshana after Rama Installed him King of Lanka

Location

History

Deities

Photo Gallery

Utsavams

Vahanas

Adimakkavu

Other Agraharam Information

Contact Information

Well Known Elders from the Agraharam

Food and Catering

Hall for functions and Lodging

Bank Accounts for sending Kanikkai, donation or vazhipadu

Author's Notes

Chittur - Lankeshwaram - 100 Agraharams Project

The name Lankeshwarapuram is a portmanteau of Lanka+Ishwara+Puram(place)

There are a few famous similar sounding places. Chittor in Rajasthan where the largest living fort is present, Chittoor in Andhra and here in Chittur, Palakkad.

I wonder at the origin of the name. Maybe the southern places were derived from the Tamil word 'சிற்றூர்' - 'small town'.

A few hundred meters from this sedate gramam is the Chittur Kavu. You should read about the Chittur KonganPada / Konganpada, the only war festival in the state of Kerala, which combines religion with mythology and history. The festival is the commemoration of the victory of Nair's of Chittoor over the militia of Kongunadu (Coimbatore) led by the Chola King.

"During those days Chittur was a very fertile land, plush with resources. It was also a trade hub. People from across the mountains, especially the Kongu country, which includes parts of the present-day Coimbatore District, used Chittur frequently for trade. Skirmishes were normal. And these skirmishes form the roots of the present day Konganpada festival."

The Bharathapuzha is the lifeline of many cities and villages in Kerala. It is called differently in different places. The life of Thunjathu Ramanujan Ezhuthachan and the history of Chittur are blended. He called the river Sokha Nasini or destroyer of sorrows.

"The Malayalam language completely split from classical Tamil around the 14th century under the efforts of Thunjathu Ramanujan Ezhuthachan with the development of new Malayalam script based on Tamil and Grantha script distinct from Tamil."

The person who taught ezhuthu or writing was called Ezhuthassan, or Ezhuthachan. Ezhuthachans of the land also used to copy important 'grandhas' (works) apart from teaching. It was regarded as an art to copy original works neatly in the thaliyola (leaf of the large palmyra used for writing) For every thousand such grandhas, a fixed amount of money was given. One grandham comprised 32 letters. His works include the 'Adhyatma Ramayanam'.

I wondered about the name of 'Lankeshwaram' for a temple here !!

Sree V S Krishnan, a Devasom officer is quoted in the Census Directorate book thus: The temple is "Datable to very ancient period, the legend says that the idol of Lord Siva of this temple was consecrated by Sree Vibheeshana, brother of Sree Ravana. As the idol was found to be very powerful, to reduce the power later a tank was built in front of the temple."

However some readings mention that Ravana himself had consecrated the idol he brought from Lanka.

"Details of earlier ooralars are not available. Since the tenth century the temple has been owned by the Cochin Royal family. Now the Cochin Devaswom Board manages the temple...Details of land owned prior to the implementation of the Land Reforms Act are not known. At present the temple owns 28 cents which constitute the temple complex. The structures thereon are sreekövil, namaskãra-mandapam, chuttambalam with agra-mandapam, sub-shrines, oottupura, wells and tank."

The village was kind to forward a text which will be copied to the Gramams website later, but here is a portion of it:

" In order to follow the daily rituals and to maintain the temple wellness, Cochin King invited brahmin families from Chidambaram and provided shelters around the temple and ordered them to take the responsibilities. After a few decades, the Cochin King took over the temple and formed the festivals which needed to be celebrated in a year and issued an order to Grama Samooham to supervise the festivals. Cochin King - Rama Varma Parikshith Thampuran dedicated a wooden chariot to Lord Chandrasekhara Swamy.

The specialty is that the Utsava Murti has four hands, his back right hand holds a parashu (axe), his front right hand expresses the abhaya mudra, the back left hand carries deer, and his front left hand expresses the anugraha mudra and is accompanied by  Sri Parvathy devi. Sri Ganapathy ( Vinayaka) is the sub-deity in this temple and guarded by Rahu and Kethu. The Shiva Lingam inside the sanctum sanctorum is Shadadhara Prathista,.."

Children should be encouraged to question the symbolism of the arms and mudras of the various murthis in our Dharma. It will make them interested in Sanatana.

"The symbolism behind Saguna Bhagawan Shiva holding the deer is that he is always in Turiya state. The symbolic representation of deer in Lord Shiva's hand is that God has removed the Chanchalata of the mind. A deer quickly jumps from one place to another. Similarly controlling our mind is very difficult as a thousand thoughts come into our mind one after another. With great tapas, meditation and yoga — Lord Mahadev removed the Chanchalata of the mind"

The temple faces east with a Shila Lingam of the Lord. I have seen in many villages Vinayaka moorthy installed in front of Siva and it is said that it is to mitigate "Siva Drishti". Here it is the vast Pond in front of the Lord.

Radhe Krishna

Sriram(Hari)

100-Agraharams Project

Rama Bhagavathar Charitable Trust

July 21, 2024