Legend of Thiruvairanikkulam Temple Where the Temple of Goddess Parvathy Opens only for 12 days in a year

Thiruvairanikkulam temple is located near Aluva in the Ernakulam district of Kerala. Although the presiding deity is Lord Shiva, the Temple belongs to Goddess Parvathy attracts more devotes because of its unique feature. The temple of Parvathy will open only for 12 days in a year starting from the Thiruvathira star of Malayalam month Dhanu (mid-December to mid-January). Even the temple festival is being celebrated during these 12 days.

The legend behind the temple goes back to the period of “Parayi Petta Panthirukulam”, the most popular myth of Kerala depicting the story of a woman belongs to a lower cast who gave birth to twelve children. On those days, Airanikkulam has been reigned by Akavur family who was Brahmins. As time passed there aroused a dispute among the family members and a section of Akavur family moved to nearby Vellarapilly village. During these days Akavur Chathan of Parayipetta Panthirukulam came to this family as a dependent. He stood with the section of the family that moved to Vellarapally and moved along with them to the new place.

There is a Shiva Temple in Airanikkulam which has been regarded as the family deity of Akavur Family. Even after moving to Vellarapilly, they used to visit this temple. Once a Brahmin belongs to this family planned to visit the Airanikkulam Temple and to spend the rest of his life there. He asked Chathan to accompany him and to help him with day to day affairs when he is staying back in the temple. They reached the banks of River Periyar and got disheartened to see no boats for crossing the river.

Akavur Chathan took a large piece of granite and made a boat using the same. They crossed the river and reached the temple. Days have passed and years too. The Brahmin became older and developed a strong desire to go back to his home and to be with his family members but at the same time, he felt sad that he will have to leave the temple and Lord Shiva to be with his family. However, he decided to go back and went to the sanctum Santorum. He prayed with a heavy heart to Lord Shiva to allow him to go back. He heard a divine voice permitting him to move.

He took his umbrella made of palm leaves and started his journey. He felt that the umbrella is heavier than it used to be. However, he did not tell anything about it. They took the granite boat to travel back and on the way the Brahmin had to answer nature’s call. Chathan moved the boat to the nearby forest.  The Brahmin stepped out of the boat taking his umbrella. To his surprise, the umbrella was lighter then. When he asked about it, Akavur Chathan told him not to worry. After a few minutes, they started their travel, and as soon as they reached the Manakkaparambu, the place where the present-day temple is situated the Brahmin got down from it and Chathan overturned the granite boat. Even now the stone is there and used to be called Chathan Para (Stone of Chathan in local language Malayalam).

hat area was a dense forest on those days and after a few days of the arrival of Brahmin from Airanikkulam Temple, a woman belongs to a lower caste rubbed her sickle on the stone to sharpen and shocked to see blood oozing out from it. Being informed by the locals, The Brahmin from Akavur Mana reached there along with Chathan.  On being asked, Chathan told the Brahmin that it is none other than Lord Shiva of Airanikkulam Temple. According to Chathan, Lord Shiva, pleased with the devotion of the Brahmin, came along with him sitting on the umbrella. As soon as it has been placed in the boat, the lord too shifted his place from the umbrella to the boat. That is why the Brahmin felt the umbrella heavy at first and then lighter.

Then a Brahmin priest from Punalloor Mana did rituals to please the Lord. Then a temple has been constructed and consecration has been done.

The temple is with round sanctum sanctorum and just behind that, there is a temple dedicated to Goddess Parvathy. This temple will open only for twelve days and the twelve-day festival is called Nada Thurappu uthsavam or festival of Temple Opening.

Legend Behind Nadathurappu utsavam

It is believed that none including priests were allowed inside the temple kitchen after a specific time. It is believed that Goddess Parvathy will enter the kitchen during that time to cook food for her husband Lord Shiva. Once, a priest became curious and he intended to check whether it is true or not.

When the priest came to the kitchen in the night, he saw Goddess Parvathy in her full costume and shouted “Amme… Devi…. (Oh.. . Mother Goddess…) out of devotion. Hearing the voice the Goddess turned back and saw the priest. She became furious as the priest broke the tradition. Out of anger, she told the priest that she does not want to stay back there and she is leaving the place.

The priest could not bear those words. He fell on her feet and requested wholeheartedly to stay back there. Pleased with his devotion she told him that she will visit the temple only on the birthday of her husband Lord Shiva and will stay back for only twelve days. Thiruvathira star in the Malayalam month of Dhanu is considered the birthday of Lord Shiva and hence on that day every year, the Goddess will visit the temple and stay back for twelve days. All these twelve days, nobody will enter the temple kitchen after a specific time as it is believed that the goddess will be busy there for cooking food for the lord.