Mannadi Devi Temple Festival Near Kottarakara - Adoor - Uccha Bali - Thirumudi Ezhunelippu At Mannady Bhagavathy Temple
Mannadi Devi Temple is located near Kottarakkara and Adoor in Pathanamthitta district, Kerala. The main festival of Thirumudi Ezhunnallathu in the temple is observed in Kumbham month. This usually falls on the first week of March. Mannadi Bhagavathy temple festival is known as Uccha Bali and the day is decided by the temple authorities – ganichedukkua in Malayalam. The festival is held on a Tuesday or Friday after Kumbham 15.
It is believed that those couples having trouble in conceiving, childbirth and pregnancy related problems get relief after participating in the Uccha Bali festival in Mannady temple.
Mudi Yeduppu is another important ritual during the festival. The Mudi is carried from Mudpura Temple to the Pazhayakavu Devi Temple - this is the only day when Mudi is taken out. The procession carrying the Mudi passes through a traditional path accompanied by traditional temple music. The Mudi reaches Vakkavanjipuzha Madom and thalam chavittal is held here then it moves to Avanampara and reaches the Althara in the Pazhayakavu Devi temple.
Cooked naivedya is prepared only on the Uccha Bali day in the temple. This is prepared using unakkalari (sun dried rice), tender banana, tender jackfruit, jaggery and coconut. This is offered to the deity.
Thousands of devotees arrive at the Althara to witness the mudi which is only taken out on this particular day.
Mudi Pechu which is the reenactment of Goddess Bhadrakali killing demon Darika is held at night. Goddess Bhadrakali comes out the shrine accompanied by Bhootaganas to the pechu kallam. She then dances on the Vethal stone (Vethal Kallu thalam chavittal) and becomes ferocious and annihilates the demon Darika.
Adivi and Bali Kuda are offered to reduce the ferocity of Goddess who has just annihilated demon Darika.
Vazhiyootu is offered to Bhotha Ganas. Para is offered to Goddess by devotees. Goddess then returns to the temple.
Next day Mudi is returned to the Mudipura temple from Althara. Thalappoli, vadyam, muthukuda are part of the procession.
The main deity worshipped in the temple is Goddess Bhadrakali who is famous as Mannady Bhagavathy. The deity faces east and is swayambhu.
As per history, the murti of Goddess was discovered when people were clearing forest for farming. The sickle of a woman hit a stone and blood started oozing out from it.
The pujas in the temple are not performed by Brahmins and there are no cooked rice offering. Aval and malar are offered to the deity. The pujas are performed by the Mangalathu Panicker family.
The velichappadu in the temple was highly powerful and was known as Kambithan.
Once there was a fight between Mangalathu Panicker and Kambithan. It is said that the fight resulted in Kambithan creating another temple in the temple compound. This temple is now known as Puthiyakavu Bhagavathi temple.
The annual pongala festival at Mannadi Devi Temple is observed on Karthika nakshatra in Vrischikam month.