Ennapadam
Ennapadam
Embedded Files
The Agraharams of Palakkad
Overview
A fully dilapidated agraharam temple with Bala Ganapathy as its primary deity. The agrahram needs attention and hopes for a revival.
Location
Location: The Ennapadam village is located about 12 Kms from the Palakkad railway station and 10 Kms from the Palakkad KSRTC bus terminal. Nearest bus stop to village - Pallatheri and then the village is about 1 kilometer away
Temple Timings:
6.00 am to 9.00 pm
6.00 pm to 7.00 pm
History
History
Ennapadam should have been a vibrant place decades ago. Ennapadam Venkatarama Bhagavathar (1880-1961) put the Agraharam on the map of Carnatic music. Bharadwaja Gothram seems to be predominant. However the agraharam of 30 independent homes (otthamadams) is now reduced to about 5 of which only 2 homes are Brahmin households. The Bala Ganapathy temple is fully in disrepair and there is no attention or Puja or even lamps being lit to the primary deity. The brother of Ennapadam Venkatarama Bhagavathar had installed a Ganapathy under a Peepul tree and this is being used for prayers.
Deities
Deities
Primary deity: Bala Ganapathy (the temple is defunct and no longer in use )
Other deities: Ganapathy under a Peepul tree
Videos
Videos
Photo Gallery
Photo Gallery
Utsavams
Utsavams
Temple is no more working - is defunct. No puja or utavams take place as on the date of this update
Vahanas
Vahanas
None
Adimakkavu
Adimakkavu
Parukancheri Kaavu
Other information
Other information
Total homes in the Agraharam: 30 homes a very long time ago - Othamadams - Independent homes - but now only 5 homes survive
Number and % of Brahmin homes: 3 or 60%
% of homes retaining traditional look: 40%
does the village have a brahmana samooham hall: No
does the village temple have a temple car (theru): No
when was the last ashtabandhana kumbabhishekam done: NA
Contact information
Contact information
VASANTHI-9048625599, She is a resident and since there is no functioning temple there are no office bearers
Well Known Elders from the Agraharam
Ennappadam Venkatarama Bhagavatar
Vaggeyakara (composer), Harikatha exponent - Ennapadam Venkatarama Bhagavatar is a composer of merit. He was born in Ennapadam,Cochin area and he was a great harikatha expert having mastered narration in various languages like Sanskrit, Telugu,Kannada, Marathi etc. He traveled to different royalities of Tiruvnandapuram, Cochin, Mysore, Baroda etc. and showed his skill in Harikatha. He has created several new ragams also.He has composed “Krishna Ashtottara shata nama keerthanas” with 108 kritis in 108 ragas. His two kritis to be highlighted are Guham ashrayami- (ragam-Prakashini) and ‘Matanga mukham’-(ragam-Sumukhi).
Food and Catering
Food and Catering
None - nearest is Chandranagar or better to find options in Palakkad
Hall for functions and Lodging
Hall for functions and Lodging
None - nearest is Chandranagar or better to stay in Palakkad
Bank Accounts for sending Kanikkai, donation or vazhipadu
Bank Accounts for sending Kanikkai, donation or vazhipadu
None
Author's Notes
Ennapadam Agraharam
As we progress in documenting the agraharams of Palakkad in the "100 AGRAHARAMS" project, I am deeply shocked and saddened to see the current state of Ennapadam Agraharam, a place that once thrived with the wisdom and grace of great elders like Ennapadam Venkatarama Bhagavathar, a revered 'vaggeyakara' and 'harikatha' exponent. The relentless march of time has transformed what was once a vibrant village, home to over 30 families along a single street Agraharam, into an overgrown shrub forest. Today, only five families remain, clinging to the hope that time will show mercy to their Agraharam and their dilapidated Bala Ganapathy Temple. The temple, now completely run down, no longer sees daily prayers or 'puja' for the lord. There is little left for those seeking to reconnect with their roots. I fervently wish and hope that the cosmos will find a way to bring back the sons and daughters of Ennapadam Agraharam and, with good fortune, rebuild this cherished place.
My grandfather Palghat Rama Bhagavathar hosted Ennapadam Venkatarama Bhagavathar a few times and he was a regular at the music & events in Kalpathy. There are many who continue to remember the great Ennapadam Venkatarama Bhagavathar, who composed about 146 kritis of which about 108 are on Krishna with his mudra Venkataramana. He also composed nirupana songs for Harikathas without any mudra. He was honoured by The Music Academy in 1959 with a Certificate of Merit. He was the author of eight rare ragas and talas Viz,. Sumukhi, Raasabouli, Muralinadam, Vrndavanakutuhalam, Prakasini, Sreedhari, Priyadarsini and Rasavarali and also mentioned some talas like Nuti, Preethi and Devaranjanam.
In Chennai, we collaborate with dedicated volunteer groups on 'Uzhavara Pani' for the upkeep of temples. These groups identify dilapidated temples and then clean and restore them for the local communities. I am unsure if similar Uzhavara Pani groups exist in Palakkad. It's time we come together and put in efforts to reclaim temples that have fallen into disrepair.
However, nothing we do can compare to the involvement of those with roots in Agraharams like Ennapadam, which must come back to life.
Remembering with gratitude the elders of a community and their edifices, honors their wisdom, preserves cultural heritage, and inspires future generations to uphold and cherish their shared traditions and values.
Radhe Krishna
Sriram(Hari), 100-Agraharams Project
Rama Bhagavathar Charitable Trust
July 2, 2024
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse