Oachira Temple
Encyclopedia
The Oachira Temple is an extremely ancient temple located in Oachira
in Kollam district
in the South India
n state of Kerala
. According to the Puranas
this temple is one of the famous sacred places of Kerala
and in India
. Oachira is on the border of Kollam and Allappuzha districts, next to the National Highway 47. This very ancient pilgrimage center is centered on the ParaBrahma temple (that is dedicated to the Para Brahman
(or Param Brahman) or OHMKARAM, the Universal Consciousness
), and covers thirty-six acres of land.
Every year the Oachira Vrischikam Festival is celebrated during the month of December/January. Oachirakkali is a famous ritual performed here during June and it involves mock-fighting in muddy water by traditional martial art experts. And "Erupathattam onam" (28 days after Onam) is also celebrated. It is the festival of cattles. In this festival, huge "EDUPPU KALA" (Gigantic Bull shaped structures) are made. They are then pulled on giant wheels to the OACHIRA TEMPLE from the site where they are made. Normally there are around 50 such structures. It is the biggest festival in "Onattu Kara" which is an area of a few square miles. 'OACHIRAKKALI' was actually a war exercise performed annually by soldiers of Kayamkulam
Raja. Nearby about 108 Kalaries were in 52 karas up to the beginning of 20 th century. Soldiers belonging to the above Karas met together at Oachira at the Malayalam month of Mithuna every year and performing war like exercises. This is what is called Oachirakkali. During the years of the Kayamkulam Rajah Oachirakkali was started after the blessings of nearby Nambiathiris, high order Nambudiri Brahmins, having the knowledge of Dhanurveda (the Science of Arms) who were also experts in Smrithy Sasthras.
Ward and Conner, two British officials entrusted to survey Travancore
in the beginning of 19th century, had made their observations about Oachira in their report. In the report it was made clear that there was a very old and damaged Pagoda
on the Eastern side of the Padanilam. It was also disclosed that there was a large reservoir at the center of the vast ground on which the Temple stands, which is now known as KALLUKETTUCHIRA, and which is outside the temple compound today.
as per belief. All these assumptions are based on myths.
The real reason for arriving at the name of Oachira is possibly different. For that, we should understand the observations made by the two British officials, WARD & CONNER, who had conducted a survey in the erstwhile Travancore during the beginning of the 19th century. In their survey report, it was mentioned that there was a large reservoir at the center of the large ground called Padanilam. This reservoir (tank/pond/chira) was at the center of the Padanilam. This chira was used by the soldiers in olden days for bathing and for supplying water to the horses used in the war exercises. This chira might have been known in olden days as Onattuchira, as the place belonged to the Kayamkulam
Raja who was also called the Odanattu Raja or simply Onattu Rajah. The HeadQuarters of Kayamkulam Raja was at that time at Krishnapuram
, very near to the Padanilam (which is hardly 1 km away from Oachira). So it is believed that the word Onattuchira was gradually accepted as the place name and as time passed by further, that word Onattuchira was corrupted into OACHIRA. This is quite a plausible explanation as there are so many examples in Known History about the transformation of place names.
The Oachira Temple is unique in the sense that it does not have covered structures for temples. People worship the Para Brahma (the original formless power who manifests as the three Supreme forms of God, namely Brahma
/Vishnu
/Siva
) under neatly preserved trees.
Oachira
Oachira or Ochira is a small town located 32 km away from Kollam city in Kollam district in Kerala, India. It is one of the famous sacred places of Kerala and in India. Oachira is on the border of Kollam and Allappuzha Districts, next to the National Highway 47...
in Kollam district
Kollam district
-Climate:Kollam's temperature is almost steady throughout the year. The average temperature ranges from 25 to 32 degrees Celsius. Summer usually runs from March until May; the monsoon begins by June and ends by September. Kollam receives an annual average rainfall of around...
in the 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...
n state of 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....
. According to the Puranas
Puranas
The Puranas are a genre of important Hindu, Jain and Buddhist religious texts, notably consisting of narratives of the history of the universe from creation to destruction, genealogies of kings, heroes, sages, and demigods, and descriptions of Hindu cosmology, philosophy, and geography.Puranas...
this temple is one of the famous sacred places of 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....
and in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Oachira is on the border of Kollam and Allappuzha districts, next to the National Highway 47. This very ancient pilgrimage center is centered on the ParaBrahma temple (that is dedicated to the Para Brahman
Para Brahman
Para Brahman or Param Brahman - is a term often used by Vedantic philosophers as to the "attainment of the ultimate goal". Adi Shankara has said that there is only one Supreme Para-Brahman and all the other deities are the forms and expansions of this Para-Brahman...
(or Param Brahman) or OHMKARAM, the Universal Consciousness
Consciousness
Consciousness is a term that refers to the relationship between the mind and the world with which it interacts. It has been defined as: subjectivity, awareness, the ability to experience or to feel, wakefulness, having a sense of selfhood, and the executive control system of the mind...
), and covers thirty-six acres of land.
Every year the Oachira Vrischikam Festival is celebrated during the month of December/January. Oachirakkali is a famous ritual performed here during June and it involves mock-fighting in muddy water by traditional martial art experts. And "Erupathattam onam" (28 days after Onam) is also celebrated. It is the festival of cattles. In this festival, huge "EDUPPU KALA" (Gigantic Bull shaped structures) are made. They are then pulled on giant wheels to the OACHIRA TEMPLE from the site where they are made. Normally there are around 50 such structures. It is the biggest festival in "Onattu Kara" which is an area of a few square miles. 'OACHIRAKKALI' was actually a war exercise performed annually by soldiers of Kayamkulam
Kayamkulam
Kayamkulam is a town and a municipality in Alappuzha district of the Indian state of Kerala. It is an ancient maritime trading centre. One of the largest power plants in Kerala, run by the NTPC, is located in Kayamkulam. Krishnapuram Palace is located nearby and an old cashew factory.Kayamkulam is...
Raja. Nearby about 108 Kalaries were in 52 karas up to the beginning of 20 th century. Soldiers belonging to the above Karas met together at Oachira at the Malayalam month of Mithuna every year and performing war like exercises. This is what is called Oachirakkali. During the years of the Kayamkulam Rajah Oachirakkali was started after the blessings of nearby Nambiathiris, high order Nambudiri Brahmins, having the knowledge of Dhanurveda (the Science of Arms) who were also experts in Smrithy Sasthras.
Ward and Conner, two British officials entrusted to survey Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
in the beginning of 19th century, had made their observations about Oachira in their report. In the report it was made clear that there was a very old and damaged Pagoda
Pagoda
A pagoda is the general term in the English language for a tiered tower with multiple eaves common in Nepal, India, China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and other parts of Asia. Some pagodas are used as Taoist houses of worship. Most pagodas were built to have a religious function, most commonly Buddhist,...
on the Eastern side of the Padanilam. It was also disclosed that there was a large reservoir at the center of the vast ground on which the Temple stands, which is now known as KALLUKETTUCHIRA, and which is outside the temple compound today.
History of Place Name "Oachira"
There are many beliefs as to why this place is called Oachira. Some people believe that the place name came from the word Omkarachira and some others believe that the name is originated from the name Oymanchira. Also there are strong beliefs that the name derived from Uvachanchira as Uvachan means Lord SivaShiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
as per belief. All these assumptions are based on myths.
The real reason for arriving at the name of Oachira is possibly different. For that, we should understand the observations made by the two British officials, WARD & CONNER, who had conducted a survey in the erstwhile Travancore during the beginning of the 19th century. In their survey report, it was mentioned that there was a large reservoir at the center of the large ground called Padanilam. This reservoir (tank/pond/chira) was at the center of the Padanilam. This chira was used by the soldiers in olden days for bathing and for supplying water to the horses used in the war exercises. This chira might have been known in olden days as Onattuchira, as the place belonged to the Kayamkulam
Kayamkulam
Kayamkulam is a town and a municipality in Alappuzha district of the Indian state of Kerala. It is an ancient maritime trading centre. One of the largest power plants in Kerala, run by the NTPC, is located in Kayamkulam. Krishnapuram Palace is located nearby and an old cashew factory.Kayamkulam is...
Raja who was also called the Odanattu Raja or simply Onattu Rajah. The HeadQuarters of Kayamkulam Raja was at that time at Krishnapuram
Krishnapuram
Krishnapuram may refer to places in India:* Korapa.Krishnapuram, Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh* Krishnapuram, Alappuzha, Kerala...
, very near to the Padanilam (which is hardly 1 km away from Oachira). So it is believed that the word Onattuchira was gradually accepted as the place name and as time passed by further, that word Onattuchira was corrupted into OACHIRA. This is quite a plausible explanation as there are so many examples in Known History about the transformation of place names.
The Oachira Temple is unique in the sense that it does not have covered structures for temples. People worship the Para Brahma (the original formless power who manifests as the three Supreme forms of God, namely Brahma
Brahma
Brahma is the Hindu god of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. According to the Brahma Purana, he is the father of Mānu, and from Mānu all human beings are descended. In the Ramayana and the...
/Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
/Siva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
) under neatly preserved trees.