Thiruvalloor Mahadeva temple is located at Alangad in Ernakulam district, Kerala. Here is the story of this ancient temple.
As per local belief, Ernakulam Thiruvalloor Mahadeva temple is one of the 108 Shiva temples established by Parasurama Avatar of Bhagwan Vishnu in the southwest coast of India.
The murti worshipped in the temple is peculiar and falls under the category of Agni-tatwa linga, one of the five element Shivlings or panchatatva lingas (others being prithvi, jala, vayu and akasha). As the murti is of Agni tatwa and as ordained by Bhagavan Parasurama, the earliest tantri of Tharananellur mana avoided any abhisheka to the murti.
Later the temple was owned by 28 illams. Once there were differences of opinion regarding the non-conduct of abhishekam, between these 28 ooralars and the tantri of Tharananellur mana. The arguments went to such an extent that the ooralars even opined that the tantri avoided abhishekam due to lack of knowledge. This unnecessary comment infuriated the thantri and all agreed to conduct a test to determine deity’s wish.
The procedure of the test was quite unusual Tantri suggested that the valiya-balikkal should be completely covered with cow dung by the ooralars and the thantri would be performing pooja within the Sreekovil with its doors closed. The condition was that if the rituals followed by the tantri were in accordance with the tradition as instructed by Bhagwan Parshuram smoke would come out from the top of the valiya-balikkal during pooja.
All agreed to this test and at an auspicious time the poojas were performed by the tantri and ooralars waited near the valiya-balikkal which was few meters on the east, to see the result.
After some time smoke came out the cow dung and the ooralars could not stand by its side and two among the 28 ooralars rushed to the sreekovil to open its doors but others prevented them from doing so. After some time the smoke became so intense that none could bear its heat. The two ooralars who tried to open the door of sreekovil earlier, rushed again to the sreekovil and forcibly opened the door. They found the tantri lying unconscious near the Shivling. Both of them carried the tantri to the temple tank and sprinkled its holy waters on him. He regained consciousness, but he cursed the ooralars (except the two who helped him) that their families would have dire consequences.
Thereafter the tantri relinquished tantram of this temple. When the families under curse had many misfortunes to face, they sought forgiveness by falling at the feet of Tharananellur tantri. He told them to perform paal abhishekam to deity continuously so that the milk was made to flow into the sea without interruption. They could not carry out this expiatory rite and all the twenty-six families became extinct. Later the tantram of the temple was taken over by Vezhaparambu mana.
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Legend has it that Sooryakalady Bhattathiripad, a famous tantric, was cursed by a Yakshi and Gandharva, for using sorcery against them, that he would die on the 14th day if did not have the evening puja and darshanam (deeparadhana) on the day in Thiruvalloor Mahadeva temple.
The curse was that he would die of suffocation and blockage of urine.
Sooryakalady Bhattathiripad made all arrangements to have darshanam during deeparadhana on the 14th day evening at Thiruvalloor Mahadeva temple.
But on the 13th day there a voice was heard from the Thiruvalloor Mahadeva temple sreekovil. The voice asked the pujari to close the temple the next day after uccha puja at 10 AM and then not to open the shrine for the day.
When Sooryakalady Bhattathiripad arrived at the temple for puja, the sanctum was closed. He tried all means to open the temple but could not. In pain, he is said to have jumped and bitten the wooden roof of the temple. The teeth marks and his footsteps are still seen in the temple.
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Another legend of the temple is associated with Ramayana. It is said that tail of Jatayu fell here when he attempted to stop Ravana from carrying Sita away to Lanka.