Chottanikkara Devi Temple - Kerala

Speciality

The Goddess is seen to be worshiped in three different forms: Maha Saraswati in the morning, clad in white, Maha Lakshmi in noon clad in red and as Maha Kali at night clad in Blue. Usually gods and goddesses are seen in all temples as appearing with their left hand to their feet and the right hand to bless the devotees. In the Chottanikara temple, the presiding idol appears as vice versa (their right hand to their feet and the left hand to bless the devotees).

History

Many years ago in a jungle, a tribesman used to sacrifice acow to Mother Kali every Friday. On one day he found a beautiful black calf and took it home for the sacrificial. As he was about to sacrifice the calf his little daughter ran in and asked her father to stop the ritual as she liked the calf.

The tribesman loved his daughter so much that he gave her the calf. After a few days he saw his daughter lying dead from poison. He later decided to cremate her body and when he went to find her body it had vanished. A priest told him that it was his punishment for taking young calves from their mothers and sacrificing them.

As he went to look for the calf he found two stones instead. He installed the two divine stones who are believed to be Maha Lakshmi and Lord Vishnu. Years later he stones were forgotten and were accidentally found by a grass-cutter who wanted to sharpen her knife before cutting and started sharpening the blades on a stone.

Suddenly she saw that the stones were bleeding and called the attention of the people. The stones were then properly installed in a temple.

Timings

On all days the temple is oopen from 4.00 a to 12.00 am and 4.00 pm to 8.30 pm. But on Fridays the temple functions between 3.30 am to 12.00 am in the mornings.

Dress Code

No specific dress code is recommended for a visit to this temple. Still, costumes covering upper arms and legs are suggested as a mark of respect to the temple customs.

Festivals

Masi Magam, Navarathri, Karthigai Madala Puja, all new moon and full moon days are celebrated in this temple