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Sree Venkatachalapathy Temple

Pazhaya Thirumala
Alappuzha
The Sree Venkittachalapathy Temple fondly termed as the Old Thirumala Temple is a cultural landmark in the hoary history of the town of Alappuzha. Located at Thirumala and nestling between Commercial Canal and Vadai Canal a stone’s throw from the K S R T C Bus Stand in Thirumala Ward, this is an architectural marvel and one of the most ancient and renowned temples of the highly enterprising and dynamic Gowda Saraswath Brahmin Community in the State. Legend has it that this sacred structure was built in 1625 A.D. and ranks as the third oldest temple among the cluster of temples managed by the GSB community.
This temple has a hoary history and it is widely believed that the “Moola Vigraha” a liturgical term for the esoteric lineage of the Deity was brought to the precincts of the place of worship by a devout sage or to use the local canonical term “Purohit” Kashiram Bhat who as a pioneer is revered and has inscribed a place for himself in the Western Agrashala of the temple where he is honoured with his own idol to commemorate the founding of the temple.
This temple has intertwined itself with the chequered history of Alappuzha and all historically significant events over the centuries have invariably been reflected in the temple’s heritage and evolution. Unlike the traditional Kerala temples which have their own unique geographical and historical imprint in consonance with the local customs that give primacy to the concept of “Tantra”, the G S B places of worship focus more on the “Mantra”. Another characteristic feature of these temples is that the offerings or “Nivedyam” is made to “Salagrams”. The erstwhile Maharajas of Travancore who were cosmopolitan, broadminded, egalitarian and products of the Renaissance school of though sweeping through Europe at that time were magnanimous enough to confer a lot of privileges to the temple and encouraged the temple authorities in all conceivable ways, financially, administratively and spiritually. The temple was the proud recipient of Govt patronage and thrived because of State benevolence. The climax of the rituals was the day of Rigvedi Upakarma in the month of Sravana when the Salagram of the Deity was taken out in style with great fanfare and panoply in the temple palanquin with full Govt. honours and regalia. The architecture and the general lay out of this temple is similar to the other GSB temples in Kerala State. The basic features like the Sanctum Sanctorum, the inner courtyard, the inner boundary edifices termed Nalambalam and the outer portico with Parashwamantaps on either side, together with the Agrashala builidings surroundings the outer court of the temple and the main Gopuram on the Eastern front are all singular to the traditional GSB temple design.
The annual eight day Utsavam or the temple fair is celebrated with great clat during the Malayalam month of Makaram which falls between mid January and February and culminates with the ” Arattu” on the first Ashwati in the Almanac. The “Sheeveli” is conducted on “Airavata” the reputed white elephant of the Hindu Pantheon built of wood. In Hindu folklore Airavata is the vehicle of the King of Gods also called Devendra. The other deities of the pantheon have their own symbolic and ritual vehicles on which they are ritually mounted and taken with solemnity and reverence and circumambulated “Pradakshina” an integral part of a Hindu’s homage to God. This motion depicts the worshipper’s acceptance of the Almighty’s supremacy and ambience on all four sides of the earth. The “Ratha” or the temple chariot is brought out with great devotion and piety on the sixth day of the temple festival and the Ratha Pooja or the ceremonial worship with traditional pomp is a sight to behold. Marvellous, Awesome, Scintillating, Captivating, Enchanting, Bewitching are only some of the words that can be used to describe this sublime spectacle. The Digvijaya or the deity being led with reverence and deference through the Streets for the populace to wonder at this breath taking sight is staged on the seventh day . On the eighth day the traditional “Avabrata Snanam” which means sacred ablution or washing is performed on the holy Theertha or Sampushkarani which is on the northern part of the shrine.
This temple has a hoary history and it is widely believed that the “Moola Vigraha” a liturgical term for the esoteric lineage of the Deity was brought to the precincts of the place of worship by a devout sage or to use the local canonical term “Purohit” Kashiram Bhat who as a pioneer is revered and has inscribed a place for himself in the Western Agrashala of the temple where he is honoured with his own idol to commemorate the founding of the temple.

Noothana dwaja prathishta