Parambanthalli Mahadeva Temple is located at Mullassery on Guruvayoor – Kanjani road in Thrissur district, Kerala. Parambanthally Shiva temple festival dates are Shivratri and Thulam Sashti. The main festival in the temple is Shivratri and Skanda Sashti Thulam month.
The Thulam Sashti is famous for procession of people carrying kavadi and palkudams. Kavadiyattam from 20 different areas in the region visit the shrine and take blessings of Murugan on the day. People pierce their tongue and cheeks with soolam and participate in the festival.
The shrine is atop a hill. The deity in the temple is known as Madathilappan. The Sankalpam of Shiva in the temple is that of Tapodanaya Shiva – performing Tapas.
The deity is 6 feet high including the peedam. Pujari stands and performs the puja and rituals. The deity faces west.
The wall of the sanctum sanctorum is nearly 5 feet in breadth. Anappalla mathil is another structural significance in the temple.
Subrahmanya has a separate shrine in the temple. Ganapathy, Bhagavathi, Vasuki Nagam are the other upa devatas.
Parambanthally Shiva Temple History
The temple is one among the 108 Shiva temples in Kerala. It was also one among the eighteen and a half tali temples (pathinettara thali) in Kerala. The temple was one of the prominent temples of Azhvanchery Thamprakkal.
This is an ancient temple which was built before 1095 AD.
A Vattezhuthu Shila Likitham of kollavarsham 270 is there in the temple.
Once when Vilwamangalam Swamiyar visited the temple he found the jada of Shiva spread all around the place. He had to move the jada and visit the temple. The trees, shrubs, creepers and climbers around the temple symbolize the jada of Shiva and therefore they are not cut.
The nearby temples - Ayyappam Kudam temple, Vasudevapuram temple and Penakam Kuttankulangara temple - are the keezhedams of this temple.