Paramekkavu Bagavathi Temple

Overview

The Paramekkavu Bagavathi Temple is one of the largest Bagavathi temples of the state Kerala. Located in the heart of Thrissur, the temple lies to the east of the renowned Vadukkunathan Temple. The temple is quiet known for its wonderful architecture and is considered to be more than 1000 years old. The shrine is dedicated to Goddess Bhagavathi (an incarnation of Goddess Durga) and is well known for its traditional panchavadyam 'Palachottil Melom'.

About The Deity

The principal deity of this temple is Goddess Bhagavathy (Durga). Lord Ganapathy, Lord Veerabhadra are the other deities housed in this temple. Idols of Brahmarakshas and Nagas are also installed and worshipped here.

Legend and Stories

According to local tales, an elderly devotee of this Devi, who was also the head of a Nair family, decided to stop visiting the temple, owing to old age. After offering his final prayers to the devi in this temple, he is said to have retired on his way back to take some rest. He wanted to resume his journey back home after sometime, when he noticed that his umbrella got struck in the ground. A sage who was passing by, had told him that the Devi had shifted her place from the temple to reside in his umbrella. Thus the Paramekavu Bhagavathy temple was built to mark this auspicious event.

History of The Temple

The temple complex has two shrines dedicated to Goddess Bhagavathi, Paramekkavu and Melekkavu. The following is the legend associated with the Melekkavu shrine. During ancient times, there was a practice of offering guruthi (blood) to the goddess by people of the Kizhakkumpattukar which was a nearby village. Animals and birds are killed and their blood was offered to the deity as part of this ritual. When the slaughter of animals was prohibited by the law, this system of offering guruthi was discontinued. The temple committee meeting held in 1960, recommended the revival of this ritual by performing it on the festival days of Kodungallur Bhagavathy temple. Later, an idol of the Goddess was retrieved from the temple tank and was consecrated at the place where guruthi ritual was performed. A separate shrine was also built there in the year 1997.

The idol of Goddess Paramekkavu Bhagavathy was initially a wooden idol. Since the wooden idol was found to be damaged, a new wooden idol was made replacing the old one. The new idol of this Goddess has eight arms and is seen in the sitting posture was had been consecrated in 1997. A sacred send off was given to the old idol by observing the sacred Jeeva Kalasam ritual.

The thattakom (jurisdiction) of the Goddess is spread over five desams, (villages) around Thrissur. Three members elected from each desam constitute the temple committee, which takes care of the temple administration.

Festivals

Paramekkavu Bagavathi Temple is one of the largest Devi kshetras in Kerala. The temple also has the honour of participating in famous Thrissur Pooram festival. Durbin this festival, fifteen decorated elephants are brought in procession from Paramekkavu to the Vadakkumnathan temple, where the Pooram festival is celebrated. A large number of tourists throng this place to witness this splendid event annually. Navarathri, Makara Chowa, Sivarathri are the other important festivals.

How to Reach Paramekkavu Bagavathi Temple, Thrissur

Airport

The Nedumbassery International Airport at Kochi is the closest, located at aa distance of 52kms from Paramekkavu Bagavathi Temple.

Railways

The Thrissur Railway Station is located at a mere distance of 2 kms from the Paramekkavu Bagavathi Temple.

Road

The temple is located in the heary of the city Thrissur which enables tbe tourists to easily reach the temple by hiring a taxi or boarding a local bus.

Temple Address

Paramekkavu Bagavathi Temple
Paramekkavu Devaswom Building, Round East,
Keerankulangara, Thrissur, Kerala,
India, Pincode – 680001.