Kottarakkara Ganapathy temple is a very famous Ganesha temple in Kerala. Here is a look at the history of Kottarakkara Ganapathy temple which is famous for its unniyappam (offering). You can also read the story and history of the Kottarakkara Unniyappam below.
The original name of the temple is Manikanteswaram and the main murti worshipped in the temple is Shiva. But temple is famous now for the Upa Devata Ganapathy.
The Ganesha worshipped in the temple is now known as Mahaganapathi.
The belief is that the famous Master Carpenter of ancient Kerala, Perumthachan had consecrated the Ganpati murti in the temple.
It is said that Perumthachan who was engaged in building the Sreekovil of the Shiva temple here happened to see a firm and straight root of a jackfruit tree. He cut the root and carved a Ganpati murti out of it. This murti is now worshipped as the famous Kottarakkara Ganapathy.
It is said that Kathakali, the world
famous art form of Kerala, was first performed at the Kottarakkara Ganapathy
Temple.
One day Kottarakkara Thampuran, requested the ruler of Kozhikode, Manaveda, to send a team of Krishnanattam performers for a festival in the temple. But the Zamorin sarcastically denied the request. This was an insult. Kottarakkara Thampuran went to the Ganapathy temple and prayed for a way to avenge the insult. He sat on the banks of the temple pond looking at the water. There he saw different shapes of waves creating various color combinations. From this experience Thampuran created the costume designs of Kathakali. He wrote Ramanattam sitting beneath the banyan tree near the temple. This art form later developed into Kathakali. The first staging of Kathakali was done in front of Kottarakkara Ganapathy.
The murti of Ganpati faces west. The Shiva in the temple faces east and Goddess Parvati faces west.
The annual festival in the temple begins on the Avittam Nakshatra in Medam month and ends on Thiruvathira nakshatra.
Kottarakkara Unniyappam Story – History
Unniyappam was the first offering Perumthachan made to the Ganapathi he had carved out of the root of jackfruit tree.
Kottarakkara Unniyappam are sweet fritters made with rice flower, well ripened banana (kadalipazham), ghee, sugar and coconut. Kadalipazham and coconuts are the favorite of Ganapathy.
Six to seven unaiaapams are stringed together and made as an offering and therefore it is also known as Koottappam.
Ganapathy here was so particular that his favorite naivedyam or offering Unniyappam should be made in front of him. Therefore, it is in front of the shrine of Ganapathy that the holy fire is lit for making Unniappam and devotees who visit the temple can see the priest making the offering in front of the temple.
The Unniappam is only made when the sreekovil or the sanctum sanctorum is open.
As part of Udayasthamana Pooja, Unniappam
is made from dawn to dusk and it is distributed to devotees.
Udayasthamana Pooja is performed by
devotees for desire fulfillment and to have children in family.
It is said that Kottarakkara Thampuran
who was without children had children after performing the Udayasthamana Pooja.
Udayasthamana Pooja is expensive but still it is very difficult to get a date to perform the puja as it is always overbooked.