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A PILGRIMAGE TO ETTUMANOOR TEMPLE 
Ezhara Ponnana
 at Ettumanoor 
Mahadeva Temple 2014

The alarm rang at 12 am, I was not asleep...How can anyone sleep if the next day is going to be the most auspicious day of one's life. I was staying at Indraprastha, a Hotel at Kottayam. I got up, took  a bath and rushed outside. The hotel seemed so silent and empty like it was under some Zombie attack. I got into the car and moved to Ettumanoor temple.


HISTORY OF THE TEMPLE 

While speaking of the Legend behind Ettumanoor Temple   the Siva Linga at the temple was placed by Khara Asura.

Khara was a man-eating rakshasa in the Indian Ramayana epic. He was a younger brother of Ravana, and was killed by Rama when he attacked Rama after Shurpanakha's humiliation
Three Lingas were carried by Khara Asura one on his neck, in his left hand and the other in his right hand. On his way back the Lingas dropped from him in different places and got placed there. The Linga which he held with his neck is believed to be at Kadathuruthy , the one by his left hand is at Ettumanoor. and the one by his right hand is at Vaikom.The fact that the distance from Vaikom to Kadathuruthy and from there to Ettumanoor is more or less the same, gives credence to this legend. So the Darsana of all these three Lingas on a same day is considered as good as seeing Mahadev himself  at Kailash.

" The Linga that was placed by his right hand is being worshipped at Vaikom, the one in left hand at Ettumannoor and the one by neck at Kaduthuruthy "


As I came to the spot , the temple gate was built very beautifully with a statue of Lord Shankara in his most Aghoric form. The temple has Lord in his aghoric form and the myths tell that this linga was worshiped by Pandavas and sage Vyasa. The Shiva of his temple is also called "Aghora Moorthy" along with a name " Ettumanoorappan " ( Appan means Father).


Inside the temple gate, was a huge hypermarket of Food, Clothes, Smoke , Tea.... it was 2am and people were in the temple premises enjoying themselves. No one had an idea of going home and to get some sleep, all local tea shops and hotels were working 24 hours that day. It was their day of festival... The day of happiness and prosperity. I felt blessed on being part of the celebration. 


"It was a theme park filled with spirituality"
It was attracting followers from around India and even abroad. The feeling of Mythical force field of the MahaRudra in the temple was felt even from outside. 




THE MAIN EVENT 


The main event was the exhibition of the 8 Golden elephants along with the escort of 8 real elephants. In these eight golden elephants, the eighth elephant is made small in size and it takes alternate movement from left to right. 
The Eight Golden Elephants of Ethumanoor Temple 

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Eight Golden Elephants


Om Shiv......... - Swami

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