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Ponmeri Shiva Temple – Festival – History – Rare Brahma Temple In Kerala

Ponmeri Shiva Temple is located at Ponmeri near Vadakara in Kozhikode district, Kerala. The temple is dedicated to Mahadeva – Shiva. The shrine has Brahma as an upa devata. Temples dedicated Brahma are very rare. The Shivratri festival is an important occasion at Ponmeri Shiva Temple. The 8-day annual festival in the temple begins on Rohini Nakshatra in Makaram month.

The deity worshipped in the temple is fondly known as Thiyyannur Appan. The temple has a three tier sanctum sanctorum – moonu nila sreekovil. The darshan of the Shivling is towards east. There is a huge pond in front of the shrine. A beautiful chuttambalam, kodimaram and namaskara mandapam are part of the huge temple. Mural paintings can be seen on the walls of the sreekovil.

Sankalpam of Shiva worshipped here is that of Shiva who has left Daksha yagna after the death of Goddess Sati.

The Upa Devatas worshipped in the temple are Vishnu, Brahma, Ganapathy, Bhagavathi, Shankaranarayana, Surya, Bhootha Thevar, Ayyappa or Sastha, Murugan and Sri Krishna Bhagavan.

Ponmeri Shiva Temple History

As per history present temple is constructed at the spot where there was an illom of a Namboothiri. The ownership of the temple was with Namboothiris Later Porlathiry royal family got the ownership. Kadathanattu rajas maintained the temple and many developments were made. Logan and Gundert have mentioned this temple and former has stated that the temple was destroyed by soldiers of Tipu Sultan. Main priesthood (thanthram) belongs Erancherry Illom and Melsanthi is of Nerveli Namboothiri.

As per history, the present temple belongs to the 11th century CE. Kadathanad kings had commissioned the shrine. It is said that there was some difference of opinion between the king and the main architect. The architect left the temple incomplete and cursed that the shrine will never be completed. It is said that even today some or other work is left pending in the temple.

Tipu Sultan and his soldiers attacked the temple and destroyed outer structures.  Then they tried to enter the main sanctum, Changaroth Pennooty Varasyar, a woman who had the duty to clean the courtyard of the temple fervently prayed to the Shiva to save the temple. Suddenly a flame appeared in the sanctum and it started chasing out the soldiers from the temple complex. From that day onwards people worshipped Ponmeri Shiva as “Thiyyannoorappan”. Thee meaning fire.

The sanctum of temple is noted for its beautiful sculptures and the most famous among them is the Parvathi Parinayam.

The annual festival in the temple is famous for melam, caparisoned elephants, ezhunnallathu, Kerala temple folks arts and various pujas and rituals.

Special abhishekams, dhara, mantras and various pujas are performed during annual Shivratri festival.