The Adi Kesava Temple in Tiruvattar

Submitted by bhawani on Sun, 2007-01-07 12:21. Kerala
The banks of the Tamraparni (near Marthandam, off the NH to Kanyakumari)and its minor tributaries are dotted with ancient structures that are closely linked with the history of the erstwhile state of Travancore. One such relic is the Sri Adikesava kshetram in Tiruvattar, located fifty kilometres from Thiruvananthapuram.

Built in traditional Kerala style architecture, the temple has strong similarities with the Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple in the capital. An example of the exquisite workmanship in stone and wood, the wooden ceiling of the mandapam has intricately carved panels depicting scenes from the Ramayana, Sri Krishna Leela, Palazhimathanam and Kiratam.

The 224 solid stone pillars that line the quadrangular corridor are yet another example of the dexterity of the workmen of the period. The pantheon of Gods in the religious epics and important episodes in the texts have been carved on the wooden ceiling and pillars as well as in the murals one finds in the temple. (The murals have lost most of the original texture due to the total absence of regular efforts to maintain and preserve this lost art of wall painting.)

Inscriptions in the temple in Vattezuthu and Tamil refer to the ruler Udaya Marthanda Varma and the famous Chola ruler Rajendra Chola. There is reference to the year 776 (Malayalam Era) as the year of construction of the temple.

Similarities with the Padmanabhaswamy temple do not end with the layout and structure of the temple. The presiding deity Adikesava appears in the reclining position on the Adi-sesha the serpent, as can be seen in the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram. The religious rituals here are performed as per the Kerala temple rituals.

According to the legends associated with the temple, it is considered as one that existed in the ‘threthayuga’ and is recognised as one among the 108 ‘divyadesams’. The Vaishnavite saint Nammalvar has written in praise of this sacred place.

As per the prevalent belief, the origins of the temple are traced to a Yagna performed by Lord Brahma to attain a vision of Mahavishnu. Since the rituals were not performed as per prescribed norms, two demons Kesa and Kesi emerged from the fire and continued to trouble the people. Lord Vishnu who is supposed to have appeared on earth to save the situation is said to have successfully silenced Kesa with the help of Adi-sesha. Kesi, the demon’s sister, assumed the form of the Paraliyar and encircled the area before being directed to the sea. The origin of the name of this hamlet ‘Thiru-vattar’ is thus traced to the episode.

The ‘Thiru allah mandapam’ within the temple links it with the history of the Carnatic in the eighteenth century. The Nawab of Arcot (1740) is said to have removed the idol from the temple during one of the raids into this region. Beset as he was by problems after this attack, he returned the idol and made an offering of a gold cap and a plate weighing 388 tolas of gold. Associated with this episode is the 21-day Thiru allah puja that takes place in this temple.

Among the other important days in the calendar here are ‘painkuni’, ‘aipassi’, ‘vaikunta ekadesi’, and ‘janmashtami’ and ‘onam’.

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