Perunna Subrahmanya Swami temple is located at Perunna in Changanacherry in Kottayam district, Kerala. The shrine is dedicated to Muruga or Subrahmanya. Thaipooyam in Makaram month (January – February) is one of the most important festivals here. The annual Pallivetta utsavam is held in Vrishchikam month (November – December). Another important festival is the Skanda Sashti.
This is perhaps the only Murugan temple in the world in which Muruga is depicted as holding the Vel down. This is because he has just annihilated the demons. In all other temples, Muruga is shown as holding the Vel upwards.
The annual Thaipooyam Kavadi procession attracts thousands of devotees to the temple.
The 10-day annual festival in Vrischika masam begins on the Kartika nakshatra day.
The sankalpam of Muruga in the temple is that of Devasenapathi, who has just annihilated Tharakasuran. Therefore it is believed that Muruga is here in a furious form. The deity faces east. He was worshipped initially to overcome enemies - Shatru Samhara murti.
The temple has a round sanctum sanctorum or vatta sreekovil and the murti of Subrahmanya is 6 feet tall.
An unique aspect of the sreekovil is that there is hole in the sreekovil through which sunlight falls on the murti worshipped in the sanctum.
The upa devatas worshipped in the temple are Shiva, Ganapati, Sri Krishna, Ayyappa, Rakshas, Sundrayakshi and Nagas.
The temple is famous for the murals on the walls of the sreekovil. Another attraction is the huge temple pond.
Ottanaranga puja held on Tuesdays is an important puja here. For this reason, Tuesdays are considered auspicious in the temple.
Perunna Subrahmanya Swami Temple Story
It is said that a Namboothiri from Edamana in Perunna went to Palani and did intense bhajan to find a solution to attacks done on this Illam by Umbazhi gramam Namboothiris. Palani Murugan gave darshan to the Namboothiri and directed him to a hidden murti of his in Kodumthara Arru (river) near Kaipattoor in Pathanamthitta district. The Namboothiri first installed the vigraham at Vengal and later it was consecrated at Perunna.
Perunna Subrahmanya Swami Temple History
As per history, the partishta in the temple was performed in 753 CE.
The temple is historically important as ancient inscriptions belong to the 10th century CE can be seen on the west gate of the shrine.
It is said that initially the temple was maintained by eight illams. The temple later came under the ownership of Kumaramangalam, Edamana, Peyyambra, Thamarassery and Punjamon Illams.
From 1962, the temple is under the control of Uzhanma Devaswom Board.