Chittur Thekkegramam - Shiva Temple
Overview
The temple was built by Great Poet and Sage Thunjath Ezhuthachan. The initial installation was a Mahavishu and later replaced with Rama
Location
Location: The Chittur Thekkegramam village is located about 20 Kms from the Palakkad railway station and off the Thathamangalam Chittoor Nattukal Road.
Address: MPVR+535, Double St, Thekkegramam, Chittur, Kerala 678103
Temple Timings:
5.30AM TO 9.30AM
5.30PM TO 7.30PM
History
This temple is located about 15 Kms south of Palakad in a village known as “Thekkegramam” surrounded by Paddy fields, coconut and palm trees, which is in existence for about 500 years, on the banks of River Shokanasini.
The scenic village on the shores of the Shokanashini river still retains an old world charm that once attracted Thunchathu Ramanujan Ezhuthachan, the father of Malayalam language and literature. He spent his final days here, translating the epics, Ramayana and Mahabharatha, to a new language derived out of Sanskrit and Tamil. Legend has it that Ezhuthachan was returning after a sojourn in the present Tamil Nadu region along with his disciples and found Thekkegramam an ideal place to settle and give vent to his creative impulses.
There are two Shiva temples in the Agraharam - one is on the main road and has a Kodimaram (flagstaff) the other - Meenakshi Sundareswarar is adjacent to the River.
Deities
Primary deity: Sri Kasi Viswanatha Kasi Visalakshi
River front Deity: Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar
Videos
Photo Gallery
Utsavams
Sree Rama Navami (Theru) kodiyeri Utsavam
Sivan Theru during Sree Rama Navomi
Gokulashtami
Niraputhiri
Navaratri
Annabhishekam
Vaikunda Ekadasi ,Swarga Vasal
Thiruvathirai
Sasathapreethi
Sivaratri
Vahanas
Gaja Vahanam
Simha
Hanuman
Garuda
Adisesha
Kuthira
Rishabha Vahana For Lord Siva Temple
Adimakkavu
Chittur Kaavu
Other Agraharam Information
Total homes in the Agraharam: 220
Number and % of Brahmin homes: 35 or about 16%
Number and % of homes retaining traditional look: 20%
Does the village have a brahmana samooham: Yes there is a samooham
Does the village temple have a temple car (theru): Two Temple Car (Theru), Two Chapram (Pallakku)
When was the last ashtabandhana kumbabhishekam done: 19-02-2024 ,For Sree Rama Swamy, & Ayyappan and 22-02-2024 Siva Temple
Contact Information
Sri Lakshmi Narayanan (President),9645400283
Sri P.Ramanan (Secretary),9388122829
Sri R.Rajagopalan (Treasurer),7306780362
Well Known Elders from the Agraharam
1. Late Judge Sir C.V Anantha Krishna Iyer
2. Late Dr.C.V Seshadri (Bhajanai)
3. Late Sree Padmanabha Vadhyar (Chandru Vadhyar)
4. Late Sree Sadasiva VadhyarOwner of (Sadasiva School)
5. Late Judge Sree Vaidyalingam (Supreme Court Judge)
6. Late Sree Neelakanda Iyer (Patasala Nirmanam)
7. Dr Venkatramanan C.S (Dr Ramanu) Chaitanya Bajana Mandali
Food and Catering
- na -
Hall for functions and Lodging
- na -
Bank Accounts for sending Kanikkai, donation or vazhipadu
Thekkegramam Utsava Committee
Bank Of Baroda – Chittur Branch
A/C No: 57460100002115
IFSC CODE: BARB0CHITTU
Author's Notes
Chittur - Thekke Gramam - Part 2 - Sivan Kovil
100 Agraharams Project
In the first part we had seen the agraharam and the Ramar Temple along with the history of the place. The beauty of this 'scenic village on the shores of the Shokanashini river still retains an old world charm that once attracted Thunchathu Ramanujan Ezhuthachan, the father of Malayalam language and literature. He spent his final days here, translating the epics, Ramayana and Mahabharatha, to a new language derived out of Sanskrit and Tamil. Legend has it that Ezhuthachan was returning after a sojourn in the present Tamil Nadu region along with his disciples and found Thekkegramam an ideal place to settle and give vent to his creative impulses.'
I highly recommend the viewers to see and experience the village through the eyes of Sri Lakshmi Narayanan the president of the Gramam. He is 86 and a wealth of experience. He reminds me of my maternal grandpa. He used to tell me lots of stories and it shaped me.
At a time in the past, being in an agraharam meant being in a joint family. Children in joint families benefit from growing up with grandparents. Grandparents share their stories and experiences, teaching valuable lessons and passing on family traditions. These stories help kids understand their heritage and develop strong values, grow emotionally and socially.
I leave you with a snippet of information - Pulavar D S Raju is quoted in an article thus "Many Kongu Vellalas lived in Palakkad, Chittur, Kollangodu and Alathur. One story that repeats in literature and copper plates is that of the marriage of a Chola princess into the Chera royal family, and the subsequent movement of 8,000 Kongu Vellalas to Chera Nadu." “Mannadiyar is a title, which the Angarath and Vadaseri families of Kerala have,” says Raju. William Logan, in his Malabar Manual, says that the Mannadiyars were a caste of Vellalars from Kangeyam, in Coimbatore province, who had settled in Palakkad. Mandradi is a title held by many Kongu Vellala families, says Raju. Mandradi became Mannadi in Malayalam, just as the Tamil nandri (thank you) becomes nanni in Malayalam."
"Both Palakkad and Kongu Nadu have villages with the same name - Ayilur, Velladhi and Alathur, to name a few. In most other cases, there are only slight variations between the Kongu and Kerala names - Neelamperur in Kongu Nadu and Nilambur in Kerala, points out Raju."
Radhe Krishna
Sriram(Hari)
100-Agraharams Project
Rama Bhagavathar Charitable Trust
July 20, 2024