Chakkulathukavu Sree Bhagavathi Temple
Chakkulathukavu Sree Bhagavathi Temple Neerettupuram, 10 kms west
of Thiruvalla and 18 kms east of Ambalapuzha, Vrichikom - Karthika
the day of famous ponkala naivedyam. Vrichikom 18th friday Nareepooja
( worshipping the women) and every friday observe as auspicious. Dhanu
1 to 12 penance festival. Irrespective of cast and creed everybody
is allowed to enter into the temple.
Chakkulath Bhagavathy Temple 'The Sabarimala of women' is located
at Ambalapuzha, Neerattupuram in Alappuzha District of Kerala after
Thakazhi and Edathuva. (17 kms East of Ambalapuzha and 9 kms west
of Thiruvalla). Chakkulathamma the benefactress cosmic mother, the
conduit power of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara, the creator, preserver
and destroyer dwells here. This Bhagavathy temple is famous for its
Pongala Maholsav. Pongala is a devout offering made of pudding by
devotees as a reverent exposure of their awesome offering of love
and respect. The myth about Chakkulathamma makes an interesting reading
as it was she who transfonned a foolish shepherd into the saint poet
Kalidas overnight. The revered Brahmasree Radhakrishnan Thirumeni,
the best among the blessed of Chakkulathamma provide remedy to all
who approach him for various worldly solutions. P.B.K. Namboodiri,
one of the best astrologer, Unnikrishnan Namboodiri and Ashokan Namboodiri
worship the goddess during the daily temple rituals under the efficient
and capable guidance of the administrator Brahmasree Manikuttan Namboodiri
who is also famous in writing divine songs. Sri. Damodharan Namboodiri,
the father of the blessed five leads his sons in religious texts and
rituals and is their beacon light.
Pongala - This is the phenomenally renow-ned festival that takes
place in the temple during the month of 'Vrischikam' (November! December).
This is the time when the glory of the Goddess is at its peak. Lakhs
of women devotees gather around the temple as early as even one week
before the function. The temple premises will be over crowded and
the devotees arrange places for offering the pongala on both sides
of the main streets. The queue usually extends to a surprising length
of 20 km. Rice, coconut and jaggery are brought by women devotees
along with round earthen pots for cooking. The Chief Priest lights
the main hearth from the divine fire inside the sanctum sanctorum.
This fIre is exchanged from one oven to another. Every year at the
time of lighting the main hearth an eagle is found to circle far above
the sky. This is an unfailing blessing of the Goddess. The sight of
the bird drives the devotees into an inexplicable feeling of ecstacy.
They utter the divine names of the mother and the atmosphere echoes
and reverberates with a thousand names of the Goddess.
Pandrandu Noyampu - -This is the type of fasting and prayer which
qualifies the devotee for eternal blessings of Chakkulathamma. This
fasting starts every year from the first day of the Malayalam month
of Dhanu till the twelfth. Men and women irrespective of age, caste
or creed can resort to this powerful fasting. They have a streamlined
life with a bath in the early morning and chanting of Devi mantras
as far as possible. They adhere to strict vegetarianism and totally
shun
cigarettes or liquors. Brahmacharya or a condition of celibacy is
observed during this period.
Chakkulathukave Sree Bhagavathy Temple, Neerattupuram P.O, Thiruvalla
- 689571. Ph : 0477 2213550
Neeruttupuram P.O. Pin: 689571
Ph: 0477 213550
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