Ammathiruvadi Temple is located about 12 km away from Thrissur

Thrissur

This article is about the city in India. For the district, see Thrissur district. For the urban agglomeration area of Thrissur see Thrissur Metropolitan Area...

 town in Kerala

Kerala

or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....

 state, south India

South India

South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...

, in the village of Ūrakam

Urakam

Urakam is a village in Malappuram district in the state of Kerala, India.Urkam...

. It is regarded as one of the great 108 Durga

Durga

For the 1985 Hindi Film of Rajesh Khanna see DurgaaIn Hinduism, Durga ; ; meaning "the inaccessible" or "the invincible"; , durga) or Maa Durga "one who can redeem in situations of utmost distress" is a form of Devi, the supremely radiant goddess, depicted as having eighteen arms, riding a lion...

 temples.

Folklore

According to the Kerala folklore, Poomulli

Poomulli

Poomulli is a Namboothiri family whose origins go back over 900 years. Poomulli Mana's name has been closely associated with the culture and heritage of Kerala.-Early history:...

 Namboothiri (also sometimes referred to as Thiruvalayannur Bhattathiri) founded Ammathiruvadi temple about 700–1000 years ago. The temple site was once the location of the Namboothiri's household. Ūrakam was then a part of the Peruvanam village (one of the 64 villages of ancient Kerala). Legend has it that Namboothiri went to Kanchipuram

Kanchipuram

Kanchipuram, or Kanchi, is a temple city and a municipality in Kanchipuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a temple town and the headquarters of Kanchipuram district...

 to visit the Kamakshi Amman Temple

Kamakshi Amman Temple

The Kamakshi Temple is a famous Hindu temple dedicated to Kamakshi, one of the forms of the goddess Parvati. It is located in the historic city of Kanchipuram, near Chennai, India and is popularly associated with Sankaracharya, one of the greatest Hindu gurus...

, and, happy with the devotion of the Namboothiri, Kanchi Kamakshi decided to come to Kerala on his palm leaf umbrella. He reached home and placed the umbrella on the floor of his house. When he came back later he was unable to take back the umbrella. It was heavily grounded to the floor. Later upon further investigation it was revealed that Kanchi Kamakshi was residing on that umbrella. The goddess came in Namboothiri’s dreams that night and let him know that he was supposed to build a temple for the goddess, and leave Ūrakam. She also let him know that he was to find an idol in a well far away and reinstate the goddess from the umbrella onto that idol. Namboothiri did as the goddess wished. He built the temple, left all that he owned to the temple, and gave the administration to the Maharaja of Cochin. From then on the goddess was known as the Ammathiruvadi.Ammathiruvadi will always participate in pooram festivals with the presence of Chathakudam Sree Dharma Sastha

Architecture

The temple consists of the two majestic and lofty Gopurams (ornamental gateways), the Mathilkettu (compound walls), Ootupura (feeding hall), Naalambalam (building immediately surrounding the sanctum sanctorum) and the double storied Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum).

Events

The Makeeram Porapādu is one of the grand events of the Temple. It is regarded as the beginning of Ammathiruvadi’s journey for the Ārāttupuzha Pooram. Ammathiruvadi plays an important role in the pooram. Ammathiruvadi returns only after days of festivities.

Karthika Purapadu