Mannackanad Chirayil Jaladhivasa Ganapathy temple is located at Marangattupilly – Mannackanad in Kottayam district, Kerala. The shrine is dedicated to Ganesha. Ganapati worshipped in the temple resides in a pond adjacent to the shrine. The priest does avahanam (religious invocation) of Ganapathi and invites him daily to the temple. The deity worshipped here is known as Karimundan Thevar.
The Ganapathi worshipped in the temple is the Mahaganapathi with 10 hands. The shrine is located on the banks of a pond. The shrine is exclusively dedicated to Ganesha.
Two upa devatas worshipped in the temple are Chamravattom Sastha and Rakshas.
As per local history during the Satya Yuga, a huge yajna was conducted here to propitiate Ganapathi. Ganesha emerged from the homa kundam or sacrificial pit. Later the pit turned into a pond.
Thousands of years later an elder member of the Karingampilli Swaroopam built a temple on the bank of this pond and installed the Ganapathi murti here. He also systematized the poojas for posterity.
The moolasthanam (original spot) of the deity is the pond itself. The power of the deity is transferred from the pond water onto the murti in the morning and it is transferred back into the pond after the athazha pooja in the evening. The water from the pond is used for abhishekam (bathing of the deity) and nivedyam (preparation of food for Ganapathi). Devotees are supposed to include the pond (chira) also when they circumambulate the deity.
Vinayaka Chathurthi in Chingamasam (August – September) is the most important festival in the temple. The shrine observes special pujas during Shukla paksha Chaturthi – the fourth day after new moon day or Amavasya.
Kalasham day is observed on the fifth day of Meena Masam.
The main offering in the temple is Ottayada – a sweet prepared by steaming nazhi rice powder (approximately 225 grams of rice powder), one coconut and four palm jaggery (approximately 225 grams) on a thooshan ila (plantain leaf).
Ashtadravya Ganapathihomam, Karukahomam, mukkootty homam and Shodasa-dravya Ganapathihomam are performed in the temple.