Memury - Bharathappilly Bharatha Swamy temple is located at Memmury in Ernakulam district, Kerala. The temple is dedicated to Bharata of Ramayana, brother of Bhagavan Sri Rama. The 8-day annual festival in the temple is held in such a manner that it ends with Arattu on the Thiruvonam nakshatra day in Kumbha Masam.
The annual festival is unique as it is mulayittu utsavam. The utsava bali is held in the temple on the fifth day of the festival. Valiya Vilakku and Pallivetta ritual is held on the seventh day of the festival.
The temple festival concludes with the arattu procession on the eighth day.
The origin of the temple is associated
with exile period of Sri Rama in Ramana. Bhagavan Sri Rama left Ayodhya for
Vanavasa. Bharata could not bear the separation from his elder brother and he
set out with Sathrugnan in search of Rama. On the way they got separated and
reached Memury – Bharathappilly. Bharatha stayed here and sat in meditation.
The local people residing at this place considered him as their king and began
to worship. The temple is built exactly at the place where Bharatha sat for
meditation.
Memury Bharatha Swamy temple is an ancient temple with a chuttambalam and sreekovil. The shrine has a chathura sreekovil with an east facing murti of Bharataswamy.
The temple is the second temple visited during the Nalambalam darshan in Ernakulam district.