Vadakkumnathan temple is one of the most ancient, and largest of Shiva temples in the country.
Once in Thrissur, knowing it's an old and traditional town of Kerala, in the less than 24 hours we were there, between functions, I was hoping to fit in a temple visit. Optimizing see...and this temple was recommended by Beena. The opportunity showed itself as an early morning window, so off we were at 6 am, and Diksha joining me was a lovely last minute surprise.
Firstly, it was impossible to remember the name ....I'd ask and within minutes I'd forget....it's such a mouthful. As is most of malayalam...in fact like Diksha said "I don't know when they take a breath between words, they just seem to roll into each other". So true :)
As we enter the temple grounds, what strikes is how spread out and green it is. And how beautiful, and serene, and old, and clean, and pious, and peaceful, and sanctified. Please read all those as feeling words :)
The temple is spread over 9 acres, with many many really gigantic old trees, banyans and peepals and others, interspersed with old and statuesque looking gopurams. No detailed sculptures, no imposing architecture....just these clean straight lines.....somehow felt like a no frills, more direct connect to god (or maybe nature...or maybe self....same thing I guess)
It is said to have been built by Parusurama, the sixth incarnation of lord vishnu, the legend creator of Kerala. You start to understand 'God's own country' from a whole new angle.
Thrissur gets it's name after this temple , with Thrissur meaning 'town with the name of lord Shiva'.
This is entrance to temple.
The main dome..the one that houses the sanctum sanctorium
Full of these nice long walkways everywhere
Another view of the main dome
Banyan tree.....interesting how it's outgrown it's platform
Another angle to the side gopuram
A kutti temple to ganesha, which had several oil lamps lit, that I was trying to capture, but from too far
This tree had some exotic looking flowers hanging all over it's trunk....and the fragrance was heady...like literally intoxicating heady
We somehow did no pictures of ourselves, guess the temple just took over...here I happened to catch diksha's back...by chance with the graceful twirl of her lehenga :)
Loved the serenity and connect that this temple offered.....what we, in essence, look for in temples.
It is in my own hometown..
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