Adityapuram Temple, located near Kottayam in Kerala, is a
rare Hindu temple in India as it is exclusively dedicated to Surya. The
presiding deity in the shrine is Aditya – sun god. No other Navagrahas are
worshipped in Adithyapuram Surya Temple. The Surya Deva Temple is located at Adityapuram,
which is 3 km away from Muttuchari on the Kaduthuruthy – Kottayam Road.
The main deity worshipped in the shrine is Aditya – Surya Bhagvan.
The murti faces west and is meditative in pose - this is a very rare posture.
Marangattu Mana, a famous Brahmin family, maintains the temple.
Legend has it that a member of the family in ancient times performed intense austerities
to Surya and received the murti, which is currently worshipped in the shrine.
A unique aspect of the murti is that oil abhishekam is first
performed on the murti. Then water abhishekam is performed. All trace of oil
disappears after the abhishekams as the stone with which the murti is made
absorbs all oil.
Upadevatas or subsidiary
deities worshipped in the shrine are Durga, Shasta and Yakshi.
Sundays are the most important days in the shrine.
Important pujas are Aditya Puja, Udayasthamana Pooja and
Navagraha Puja.
Important food offering in the temple is Ada – sweet made
using rice.
Rakthachandanam or red sandalwood paste is the special
prasadam here.
Special kavadi is observed on the last Sunday in Malayalam month
Vrischikam (December) and Medam (May). This is known as Raktachandana Kavai Abhishekam.
Other important days in the shrine are Karkidaka Vavu bali
and Pathamudayam.
Main offerings in the temple are Rakthachandanam and
Tulabharam. People suffering from various ailments especially skin diseases
make offerings for early cure.
For eye related diseases a mixture of black soot and ghee
from the lamp burning inside the temple is given to devotees.
Poet Mayooran, who wrote Surya Satakam, performed Bhajanam here and got relief from an incurable disease.
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