HISTORY

Palakkunnu Sree Bhagavathi Temple

Palakkunnu Sree Bhagavathi Temple, the most famous Temple of Northern Kerala, is a well known cultural and spiritual center of the region, situates in Kasaragod District. Temple situates just 50 meters away from the Kottikulam Railway Station and 3 km away from the Bekal Fort, the international tourist centre. The Temple is located on the side of Kasaragod- Kanhangad State Highway which is lying as the by pass road to the NH17 in between Kasaragod and Kanhangad. Bhagavathy or mother goddess is the main diety. Bhagavathi is worshipped in two forms as Mootha Bhagavathi (Durga) and Elaya Bhagavathi (Saraswathi). Besides these two Goddesses, Vishnumoorthi, Ghantakarnan and Dhandan Devan are the other deities. People belonging to different religions irrespective of their caste, creed and belief visit the Temple to offer their prayers to the deities. The festivals of the Temple are being celebrated by the active participations of the entire society. There is no bar to any caste or race to visit the Temple. The Temple is very famous for the rarest traditional customary rituals and ceremonies.

The annual festival Bharani Mahotsvam is performed during the month of February/ March every year, which is basically connected to the festival of Trikkannad Sree Shiva Temple. The sparkling fireworks and competitive colorful procession from different areas are the highlights of this festival. Poora Mahotsavam will be performed in a traditional manner. The Temple art of Northern Kerala, Poorakkali performed on everyday of Poora Mahotsavam by the Poorakkali Panikker. During the specific intervals the renounced masters of Poorakkali used to perform Marathukali in a competitive manner. Three masters used to represent three provinces of the Temple called Melthara, Keezhthara and Perumundithara. The winners will be honoured by giving prizes.

Kalamkanippu Mahotsavam a rare celebration in the region have much similarity with the Ponkala of Attukal Temple, Thiruvananthapuram. Thousands of ladies who are offered their prayer to the Bhagavathi will bring rice, jiggery, coconut, rice powder and other articles in new potsto the Temple which will be prepared by the selected trained persons in the Temple ground itself and will be offerd to the Bhagavathi. After the offerings the prasadam will be returned to the devotees in the same pots. The Kalamkanippu festival will be performed twice every year, i.e. in the month of Dhanu and Makaram of Malayalam calendar year. Another festival which has its own specialty Thengayeru. Being the part of prayers from the devotees, and lunch will be served to all, four days every week and during every festival day except in the month of Karkidakam. Palakkunnu Shree Bhagavathi Kshetra Bharana Samithi is managing the administrative affairs of the Temple, in a democratic manner. The Samithi has taken the charge of the Temple in the year 1958 and is successfully continuing as the administrative body of the Temple. Before that the administration of the Temple was vested with some individuals. There is a college, English medium school, Primary schools, School of dance & music and an auditorium functioning in the name of the Temple. Ambika library, another important institution run by the Samithi for the past several decades is affiliated to the Kerala State Library Council. The library which is furnished with thousands of books and several periodicals , is a treasure of knowledge to the students and the public at large. The Temple Committee is very keen to provide Gold Medals and cash awards to the students every year for their outstanding performance in Academic level. In the English Medium school and in the college, scholarship and financial aid is being provided for the financially poor students. Moreover the Temple is providing financial assistance to the poor who suffer from serious ailments. Hence the Temple has made phenomenal contribution to the welfare of the society in different angles during the last several decades.

The devotees of the Temple who are working abroad have formed Palakkunnu Sree Bhagavathi Kshethra UAE committee and Bahrain Committee for the wellbeing of the Temple. Seamen’s Association have made their own contribution to the Temple.