Ameda Temple is located on the bands of Vembanad Lake at Udayamperoor, on Tripunithura -Vaikom road in Ernakulam district, Kerala. The temple is dedicated to Sapthamathruka – Brahmani, Maheshwari, Kowmari, Vaishnavi, Varahi, Indrani and Chamundi. The shrines dedicated to Nagaraja and Nagayakshi are located North West and North East of the temple compound. Vishnu shrine is located to the north of the main temple. Veerabhadran and Ganapathy are also worshipped in the temple.
The temple is famous for performing Sarpabali and Ashta Naga pooja. Both the pujas are offered to Nagaraja for avoiding sarpa dosha and rahu dosham and also for obtaining sarpa preethi (blessing of snakes).
Pulluvan pattu is another important offering in the temple.
Ameda Temple History
Parasurama avatar of Bhagwan Vishnu was once travelling through the western coast of India, incidentally reached the place where the temple is presently situated. As usual he stepped into the lake for Sandhyavandanam (evening worship) during sunset. He saw a bright light at a distance. Curiosity to know about the source of light prompted him to walk forward toward the center of the lake. Suddenly divine knowledge came to him that the origin of the light is 'Sapthamathruka' who were travelling through the lake on the top of the tortoise.
Meanwhile the tortoise had become unable to travel as the water had paved way for Parashurama who was moving towards the centre of the lake. The place where the tortoise became standstill came to be known as 'Amaninnayidam' and later on become 'Ameda'. Since his spurt of movement towards the centre of the lake caused the stillness of the tortoise and thereby the stoppage of the journey of the 'Sapthamathruka', Bhagavan Parasurama decided to construct a magnificent temple at the same place where the tortoise stopped its travel. And Ameda temple came into its being at its present position.
Ameda Temple Festival
The main festival of Ameda temple is conducted during the Meenam masam (March – April) in Malayalam calendar.
The festival begins on Makayiram nakshatra day with kodiyettam. Ayilyam darshan takes place on Ayilyam nakshatra day, utsava bali is held on Makam nakshatra day, Valiya Vilakku also known here as pallivetta is held on Pooram nakshatra day. The festival concludes on Uthram nakshatra day with Arattu ceremony and procession.
Kodiyettu and Aarattu are performed by eldest member of Ameda Mangalam family or by the Vadakkan Puliyannur Namboodiri who is the Tanthri of the Ameda temple.
Aarattu will be performed in the Ameda temple pond in morning after the usha pooja and "Kodiyettu" will be performed in the temple in the evening.
Aarattu is performed on every morning during the festival time but the main Aarattu is performed during evening time. On Aarattu day, the three doors of the Sreekovil will be opened and there will be five poojas instead of regular three poojas. The 3 doors of Ameda temple Sreekovil will be opened only for 2 days in a year. One is on the 41st day of Guruthi pooja and next is on the Aarattu day of main festival on Uthram nakshatra day. On the rest of the days, only 2 doors of the temple will be opened.
Ayilyam Darshanam
Ayilyam or Aslesha nakshatra the months Kanni, Thulam, Vrishchikam and Meenam (Malayalam Months) are the more sacred and important. In the English calendar, it falls in the months of September, November and April. Besides the above 4 days, 'Pathamudayam' and 'Naga Panchami' are the other important days for worshiping the serpent deities. Hundreds of devotees visit the temple on Ayilyam nakshatra day.
Ayilyam idi vazhipadu is offered by devotees on Ayilyam nakshatra day in Kanni, Vrishchikam and Meenam months.