Parassinikadvu Muthappan Temple

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Overview

Muthappan Temple is called the Parassinikadavu Muthappan temple is a Hindu temple, located at Anthoor Municipality on the banks of the Valapattanam river.

About The Deity

The temple has two idols. The senior idol wears a fish-shaped crown that represents Lord Vishnu. Vellattam is the second idol. It wears a green crown with a crescent moon representing Lord Shiva. The presiding deity is Sree Muthappan, a manifestation of two mythical characters called Thiruvappana and Vellattam.

Legend and Stories

A version of the legend of Ponnu Muthappan is narrated here Naduvazhi of Ayyankara Brahmin family in Payyavoor village and his wife, Padikutty Antharjanam, had no offspring. Padikutty Antharjanam was an ardent devotee of Shiva and when she found a baby floating in a basket of flowers in the river water when she was coming back after a bath in the river, she took it as the blessing of Lord Shiva, and so was her husband. The child grew up and in his boyhood, he was always for the benefit of downtrodden and poor people. However, to the agony of his family he practiced hunting, and also started eating flesh, which was not allowed for a Brahmin. Unable to bear the indictments from his family, the boy decided to leave home. When his mother attempted to stop him, he looked at her in fury and appeared in his original godly figure before the parent. She bowed before her son. Nonetheless, she requested him to cover his eyes with a Poikannu, a type of shield for the eyes, since she was afraid that such a fiery look on another occasion may cause to emanate the cosmic force, Shakti, that could change the entire world. Wearing a shield on his eyes, he left the family, and passed through various villages in Malabar, such as Kunnathurpadi, Puralimala, Padavil, Thillenkeri, Kannapuram,Parassinikadavu and Valluvankadav. Legend says that Muthappan with a tribal family for the divine boy started being called as "Muthappan". When he reached a village called Kunnathurpadi, he got a tribalman, Chantan as his friend. One day, when he saw Chantan tapping toddy from Palm tree the boy asked for it but was denied. All of sudden, Chantan was cursed and became a stone. His wife prayed and offered to perform the rituals, Oottu, Tiruvappana and Amruthakalasam, to propitiate the boy in the month of Dhanu. The boy relented and gave her husband back. The Chantan family started to conduct pooja to propitiate the boy and they called him in the name: "Muthappan".

Festivals

Muthappan Thiruvoppana Mahothsavam is the major festival of the temple, celebrated for three days every year on 19, 20 and 21 of Kumbham (the days correspond to 3, 4 and 5 March).

Rituals

The rituals are unique. It does not follow the Satvic Brahminical form of worship, as in other Hindu temples of Kerala. The main mode of worship is the a ritual enactment of both the characters of Muthappan, through a traditional dance known asMuthappan Theyyam. Fish, meat and toddy are the customary offerings to Muthappan

Prasad and Offering

The traditional offerings made to Sree Muthappan by devotees are Paimkutty, Vellattam and Thiruvappana. The offerings to the prime priest, Matayan, are Vecheringat (a boiled mixture of banana, pepper, turmeric powder and salt), Neerkari (a mixture of raw rice powder, salt, turmeric powder and pepper), boiled gram, or coconut slices. Toddy and burnt dry fish are also used as offerings.

Accessibility

Airport

The nearest airport is in Karipur International Airport, Kozhikode, about 110 km from Kannur.

Railways

The nearest railway station is in Kannur, about 16 km. Parassinikadavu is at 22 km from Kannur town.

Road

Kannur municipal bus stand is the major bus terminal nearest to the temple.

Temple Address