1 h 27 min (48.3 km) via NH 66(from Allapuzha)
Sreevallabha Temple is a highly orthodox Hindu Temple dedicated to Purusha as Lord Sreevallabhan, is one among the oldest and biggest Temples of Kerala and a major destination for devotees all over India for centuries.
Located in Thiruvalla city, this ocean of orthodoxy is well known for its architectural grandeur and unique customs that can be found in no other temples.
The stone-wooden carvings and fine mural paintings inside the temple are worth seeing.
Being one among 108 Divya Desams,Sreevallabha temple has been glorified by Alvars and many other ancient works.
It is considered to be the vallabha kshethram mentioned in Garuda Purana and Matsya Purana.
Kathakali is played daily in the temple as an offering, pushing it to the top in India in terms of places where Kathakali is staged in largest number of days per year.
Lord Vishnu appeared here as Sreevallabhan for sage Durvasa and Khandakarnan.
Pleased by prayers of an old Brahmin lady Sreevallabhan incarnated as a brahmachari and killed the demon Thokalaasuran.
Later the diety of Sreevallabhan worshipped by Lakshmi and Krishna has been installed in the temple in 59 BC.
From then till date, the temple follows its own worship protocol that is known to be followed nowhere else yet.
Sage Durvasa and Saptarishi are said to reach the temple every midnight for worshipping the Lord.
The temple had governed one of the biggest educational institutions in ancient time and heavily contributed to the cultural and educational developments of Kerala.
Daily five main pooja are being performed with thee naivedyam and three sreebali.
It starts with palliyunarthal or awakening the Lord followed by abhishekam or bathing with 12 pots of water sanctified with vedic chantings.
This is followed by malar naivedyam. Afterwards Usha Pooja which is Purusha sukta pradhana starts.
At this time, the idol will be dressed up like a brahmachari in 18 feet long white mundu with uthareeyam and two flower garlands.
Then main nivedyam is done followed by usha deepaaradhana.
First sreebali(sacrificing food to all crew of the deity) follows this.
Pantheeradi pooja starts after a short interval in which the Lord is dressed up in Saffron-yellow mundu, angavastram, tulasi garland only.
No ornaments are used during this as the Lord is assumed as a Yogeeshwara.
This is also called as Purushanarayana pooja.
Then follows Madhyahna/ ucha pooja or noon pooja in which Lord is assumed to be thriloka chakravarthi i.e. emperor of three worlds, grihastha bhava, adorned with all ornaments and garlands especially kesaadipaadam garlands.
Ucha pooja is completed in three parts one inside sanctum-sanctorum, another one at navaka pooja and third being the paala namaskaaram.
At this time ucha nivedyam and paala namaskaaram are done followed by sreebali and temple closes.
Evening temple opens and deeparaadhana or lamp worship is done after sometime.
Then follows the fourth pooja in which the Lord is assumed to be sreemad naarayanan and these two pooja are in Sthithi sankalpa.
Soon athazha pooja/5th pooja is done in which Sreevallabhan is assumed to be Parabrahma, Yathi bhava, in Laya sankalpa.
Now the Lord will be dressed up in a single saffron colour mundu and a tulasi garland only.
After third sreebali, Lakshminarayana pooja is done as a part of the Sleeping ceremony and sanctum-sanctorum is closed keeping necessary articles for a pooja inside for Sage Durvasa along with Saptarishi who come at midnight daily for ardhayaama pooja.
Sage Durvasa is believed to perform always naivedya also and hence prasanna pooja is open and naivedyam is done closed contrary to other kerala temple tradition.
There were five Namboothiri Brahmin families and ten Tulu Brahmin families appointed as melsanthi or chief priests along with 180 keezhsanthi or sub-ordinate priests.
Another 108 brahmacharins were also needed for daily paala namaskaaram.
Thanthram (power of conducting temple rituals) is for three families viz.
Thukalasseri Tharayil Kuzhikkattu, Thekkedathu Kuzhikkattu and Memena Kuzhikkattu families.
Now only two melsanthi are there instead of 15.
Any kind of pooja performed here should be done after doing a token worship or starting it at Sankaramangalath Illam as it is considered to be the moola sthaana (place of origin) of Sreevallabha temple.
There are two main festivals- thiru uthsavam and Uthra Sreebali.
In Sreevallabha Temple Uthsavam is conducted giving importance to aaraattu(holy bath)and is for ten days ending with Pushya nakshatra of kumbham (February-march) of Malayalam calendar.
Its customs and procedures are much complicated and start with kodiyett or raising the festival flag on the flagstaff.
Two days before kodiyett, temple sanctifying procedures are performed.
Then on the kodiyettu day, the holy flag is raised.
Special poojas are done every day along with sreebhoothabali (sacrificing food to all crew of the deity) in the noon.
On the seventh day night, pallivetta(custom done on the belief that the Lord hunts away all evil spirits) and tenth day the holy bath or aarattu.
It is done at the river near Thukalassery and the deities of Sreevallabhan and Sudarshana moorthy are taken back to the temple after deepa aaradhana at Thukalassery Mahadeva Temple, accompanied by large and colourful procession and the temple is closed.
Uthra Sreebali, the biggest festival of the temple, is conducted in the Malayalam month of Meenam(March–April).
This is the festival of three Goddesses who had been asked by Sreevallabhan to protect Thiruvalla and it is conducted when they come to the Sreevallabha Temple to meet both the Lords.
These goddesses are from the temples Aalumthuruthy, Padappattu and Karunaattu kaavu where temple festival starts on the same day in the month of Meenam.
Before their holy bath on the eighth day the three Goddesses proceed to Sreevallabha Temple where its northern gate is opened only at that time for them.
The Goddesses enter the temple through the northern gate and are welcomed by playing 18 groups of instruments and are directed towards the balikkalpura where the two Lords will be waiting to receive them.
Then Ashtapadi is played and sreebali is done.
This is followed by jeevatha dancing of the Goddesses in the middle of many lamps.
Then the Goddesses proceed for their holy bath and the Goddess of Aalumthuruthy temple returns Sreevallabha Temple by next day noon Sreebali when lord Sreevallabhan gives her vishu kaineettam.
As the sreebali ends, the programme gets over and the deities are taken back to respective temples.
Taking part in the whole Uthra Sreebali is said to wash away sins of all births as all vedic and puranic deities are taking part in it.
Other major fastivals as per Malayalam Calendar are on Thiruvonam of Chingam month, Thirunaal (chitra nakshatra) in Thulam month, Thirunaal chirappu (chitra nakshatra) in Vrischika month, Ardra of Dhanu month, Srebali during Makara Sankrama, Vishu in the month of Medam and Nira Puthari during Karkidakam.
Sreevallabha Temple is well known for its highly orthodox natured rare customs.In 1997, famous poet and former head-priest Vishnunarayanan Namboothiri was removed from the post as he had crossed the sea in order to address the Millennium Conference on Integration on Science and Consciousness, in Britain which resulted in religious sacrilege evoking the wrath of his own community since it was against temple customs.[20][21][22] And only after a series of penance, he was allowed to continue in his post.[23][24] The priests strictly should take bath in Jalavanthy before entering the temple and they shall never use sacred ash or vibhoothi, only sandal paste is to be used. The chief priest should be of 50 years old, married and should never be the one whose family has got hereditary rights for worshipping any Shiva temple.In every three years, priests can be changed. Also the priests entering Sreevallabhan’s shrine are restricted from entering even other shrines in the temple. There will be separate priests for that. Devotees also should never use sacred ash inside the temple wall.Even though it is the prasada given. They shall use it outside only. Male devotees are not allowed to wear shirt, T-shirts etc. A detailed description of such customs can be found in the book Sreevallabha Mahakshethra Charithram by historian P.Unnikrishnan Nair. Best time to visit the place. Temple functions from morning 4 a.m. to noon 12 p.m. and evening 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.Timings of major events are as follows. Morning 04.00 a.m.= Palli unarthal/awakening the deity. 04.30 a.m.= Nirmalya Darsanam/viewing the deity in the before day’s gesture. 05.00 a.m.= Abhishekam/holy bath. 06.00 a.m= Malar nivedyam. 06.30 a.m.= First pooja or Usha pooja followed by Nivedyam. 08.00 a.m.= First Sreebali (procession outside).09.00 a.m.= Pantheeradi pooja or fourth pooja.[26] 10.45 a.m. = Ucha pooja or third pooja with Nivedyam. 11.30 a.m.= Ucha Sreebali. 12.00 p.m.= Temple closes 05.00 p.m. = Temple opens06.30 p.m. = Deepa Araadhana 07.00 p.m. = Fourth pooja 07.30 p.m. = Athazha pooja or fifth pooja with Nivedyam 08.00 p.m. = Third Sreebali and temple closes
Sreevallabha Temple is a highly orthodox Hindu Temple dedicated to Purusha as Lord Sreevallabhan, is one among the oldest and biggest Temples of Kerala and a major destination for devotees all over India for centuries.
Located in Thiruvalla city, this ocean of orthodoxy is well known for its architectural grandeur and unique customs that can be found in no other temples.
The stone-wooden carvings and fine mural paintings inside the temple are worth seeing.
Being one among 108 Divya Desams,Sreevallabha temple has been glorified by Alvars and many other ancient works.
It is considered to be the vallabha kshethram mentioned in Garuda Purana and Matsya Purana.
Kathakali is played daily in the temple as an offering, pushing it to the top in India in terms of places where Kathakali is staged in largest number of days per year.
Lord Vishnu appeared here as Sreevallabhan for sage Durvasa and Khandakarnan.
Pleased by prayers of an old Brahmin lady Sreevallabhan incarnated as a brahmachari and killed the demon Thokalaasuran.
Later the diety of Sreevallabhan worshipped by Lakshmi and Krishna has been installed in the temple in 59 BC.
From then till date, the temple follows its own worship protocol that is known to be followed nowhere else yet.
Sage Durvasa and Saptarishi are said to reach the temple every midnight for worshipping the Lord.
The temple had governed one of the biggest educational institutions in ancient time and heavily contributed to the cultural and educational developments of Kerala.
Daily five main pooja are being performed with thee naivedyam and three sreebali.
It starts with palliyunarthal or awakening the Lord followed by abhishekam or bathing with 12 pots of water sanctified with vedic chantings.
This is followed by malar naivedyam. Afterwards Usha Pooja which is Purusha sukta pradhana starts.
At this time, the idol will be dressed up like a brahmachari in 18 feet long white mundu with uthareeyam and two flower garlands.
Then main nivedyam is done followed by usha deepaaradhana.
First sreebali(sacrificing food to all crew of the deity) follows this.
Pantheeradi pooja starts after a short interval in which the Lord is dressed up in Saffron-yellow mundu, angavastram, tulasi garland only.
No ornaments are used during this as the Lord is assumed as a Yogeeshwara.
This is also called as Purushanarayana pooja.
Then follows Madhyahna/ ucha pooja or noon pooja in which Lord is assumed to be thriloka chakravarthi i.e. emperor of three worlds, grihastha bhava, adorned with all ornaments and garlands especially kesaadipaadam garlands.
Ucha pooja is completed in three parts one inside sanctum-sanctorum, another one at navaka pooja and third being the paala namaskaaram.
At this time ucha nivedyam and paala namaskaaram are done followed by sreebali and temple closes.
Evening temple opens and deeparaadhana or lamp worship is done after sometime.
Then follows the fourth pooja in which the Lord is assumed to be sreemad naarayanan and these two pooja are in Sthithi sankalpa.
Soon athazha pooja/5th pooja is done in which Sreevallabhan is assumed to be Parabrahma, Yathi bhava, in Laya sankalpa.
Now the Lord will be dressed up in a single saffron colour mundu and a tulasi garland only.
After third sreebali, Lakshminarayana pooja is done as a part of the Sleeping ceremony and sanctum-sanctorum is closed keeping necessary articles for a pooja inside for Sage Durvasa along with Saptarishi who come at midnight daily for ardhayaama pooja.
Sage Durvasa is believed to perform always naivedya also and hence prasanna pooja is open and naivedyam is done closed contrary to other kerala temple tradition.
There were five Namboothiri Brahmin families and ten Tulu Brahmin families appointed as melsanthi or chief priests along with 180 keezhsanthi or sub-ordinate priests.
Another 108 brahmacharins were also needed for daily paala namaskaaram.
Thanthram (power of conducting temple rituals) is for three families viz.
Thukalasseri Tharayil Kuzhikkattu, Thekkedathu Kuzhikkattu and Memena Kuzhikkattu families.
Now only two melsanthi are there instead of 15.
Any kind of pooja performed here should be done after doing a token worship or starting it at Sankaramangalath Illam as it is considered to be the moola sthaana (place of origin) of Sreevallabha temple.
There are two main festivals- thiru uthsavam and Uthra Sreebali.
In Sreevallabha Temple Uthsavam is conducted giving importance to aaraattu(holy bath)and is for ten days ending with Pushya nakshatra of kumbham (February-march) of Malayalam calendar.
Its customs and procedures are much complicated and start with kodiyett or raising the festival flag on the flagstaff.
Two days before kodiyett, temple sanctifying procedures are performed.
Then on the kodiyettu day, the holy flag is raised.
Special poojas are done every day along with sreebhoothabali (sacrificing food to all crew of the deity) in the noon.
On the seventh day night, pallivetta(custom done on the belief that the Lord hunts away all evil spirits) and tenth day the holy bath or aarattu.
It is done at the river near Thukalassery and the deities of Sreevallabhan and Sudarshana moorthy are taken back to the temple after deepa aaradhana at Thukalassery Mahadeva Temple, accompanied by large and colourful procession and the temple is closed.
Uthra Sreebali, the biggest festival of the temple, is conducted in the Malayalam month of Meenam(March–April).
This is the festival of three Goddesses who had been asked by Sreevallabhan to protect Thiruvalla and it is conducted when they come to the Sreevallabha Temple to meet both the Lords.
These goddesses are from the temples Aalumthuruthy, Padappattu and Karunaattu kaavu where temple festival starts on the same day in the month of Meenam.
Before their holy bath on the eighth day the three Goddesses proceed to Sreevallabha Temple where its northern gate is opened only at that time for them.
The Goddesses enter the temple through the northern gate and are welcomed by playing 18 groups of instruments and are directed towards the balikkalpura where the two Lords will be waiting to receive them.
Then Ashtapadi is played and sreebali is done.
This is followed by jeevatha dancing of the Goddesses in the middle of many lamps.
Then the Goddesses proceed for their holy bath and the Goddess of Aalumthuruthy temple returns Sreevallabha Temple by next day noon Sreebali when lord Sreevallabhan gives her vishu kaineettam.
As the sreebali ends, the programme gets over and the deities are taken back to respective temples.
Taking part in the whole Uthra Sreebali is said to wash away sins of all births as all vedic and puranic deities are taking part in it.
Other major fastivals as per Malayalam Calendar are on Thiruvonam of Chingam month, Thirunaal (chitra nakshatra) in Thulam month, Thirunaal chirappu (chitra nakshatra) in Vrischika month, Ardra of Dhanu month, Srebali during Makara Sankrama, Vishu in the month of Medam and Nira Puthari during Karkidakam.
Sreevallabha Temple is well known for its highly orthodox natured rare customs.In 1997, famous poet and former head-priest Vishnunarayanan Namboothiri was removed from the post as he had crossed the sea in order to address the Millennium Conference on Integration on Science and Consciousness, in Britain which resulted in religious sacrilege evoking the wrath of his own community since it was against temple customs.[20][21][22] And only after a series of penance, he was allowed to continue in his post.[23][24] The priests strictly should take bath in Jalavanthy before entering the temple and they shall never use sacred ash or vibhoothi, only sandal paste is to be used. The chief priest should be of 50 years old, married and should never be the one whose family has got hereditary rights for worshipping any Shiva temple.In every three years, priests can be changed. Also the priests entering Sreevallabhan’s shrine are restricted from entering even other shrines in the temple. There will be separate priests for that. Devotees also should never use sacred ash inside the temple wall.Even though it is the prasada given. They shall use it outside only. Male devotees are not allowed to wear shirt, T-shirts etc. A detailed description of such customs can be found in the book Sreevallabha Mahakshethra Charithram by historian P.Unnikrishnan Nair. Best time to visit the place. Temple functions from morning 4 a.m. to noon 12 p.m. and evening 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.Timings of major events are as follows. Morning 04.00 a.m.= Palli unarthal/awakening the deity. 04.30 a.m.= Nirmalya Darsanam/viewing the deity in the before day’s gesture. 05.00 a.m.= Abhishekam/holy bath. 06.00 a.m= Malar nivedyam. 06.30 a.m.= First pooja or Usha pooja followed by Nivedyam. 08.00 a.m.= First Sreebali (procession outside).09.00 a.m.= Pantheeradi pooja or fourth pooja.[26] 10.45 a.m. = Ucha pooja or third pooja with Nivedyam. 11.30 a.m.= Ucha Sreebali. 12.00 p.m.= Temple closes 05.00 p.m. = Temple opens06.30 p.m. = Deepa Araadhana 07.00 p.m. = Fourth pooja 07.30 p.m. = Athazha pooja or fifth pooja with Nivedyam 08.00 p.m. = Third Sreebali and temple closes
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