This is one of the ancient temples of Kerala, around 6000 years old, considered equivalent to Varanasi, located on the banks of Bharathapuzha river. Tirunavaya is located at a distance of 9 Kms from Tirur(Malappuram) and 6 Kms from Kuttippuram. The presiding diety of the temple is Navamukundan (Lord Vishnu) along with his spouse Mahalakshmi.
There are subshrines to Lord Ganapati on the south-west corner and Sree Mahadevi on the north-east corner. There are also shrines of Lord Shiva and Lord Brahma (on the southern side) near the temple. One should go through water to offer worship at these shrines.
The temple is considered to be demonstrative of the evolved Kerala type of architecture, dating back to the 13th-14th centuries although in a comparatively poor state of existence today. The exquisite sculptures carved around sanctum sanctorum are splendid. Ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu are carved on the top row against the wall, below the slopped roof. Just below the row, sculptures depicting Lord Shiva, as Kirata, blessing Arjuna with Pashupatastra can also be seen.
The name Thirunavaya is said to have stemmed from the legend that Nine Yogis consecrated Lord Vishnu here and offered their worship for a very long time and finally attained salvation. The idol that we see now is actually the ninth idol consecrated by the Yogis. Eight idols which they had consecrated earlier were went under the ground. So Yogis had to consecrate a ninth idol. As soon as the consecration was over, idol started submerging slowly into the soil. Yogis found this at the right time and prevented the ninth idol from going completely under the soil. Hence, the image of Navamukundan is portrayed only from above the knee, the rest of the image being concealed within the ground. It is also believed that a bottomless unexplored pit can be seen behind the image in the sanctum.
Lore has it that Lakshmi and Gajendran, the king of elephant worshipped Vishnu here with lotus flowers from the nearby lake. With two devotees plucking the flowers from the same source, supply dwindled and Gajendran appealed to Vishnu, who took Lakshmi by his side on the same throne and accepted worship offered by Gajendran.
The Bharatapuzha river, the presence of temples of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva on its banks, accords this temple town a stature equivalent to Banares. As in Banares, cremation of the dead is carried out on the banks of the river. It is also very famous and popular for the performance of last rites for the departed. The ashes of Gandhiji and Nehru were also dissolved at Bharathapuzha.
Legend also has it that Markandeya, fleeing the clutches of Yama, appealed to Vishnu for help at this shrine and upon his direction crossed the river Bharatapuzha to worship Lord Shiva(Thriprangottappan), while Lord Vishnu blocked Yama by closing the rear entrance of the temple, to prevent Yama from catching Markandeya.
The Mamankam festival used to be celebrated at this temple in great splendour on the Bharatapuzha river bank for a 30 day period, once in 12 years This celebration stopped after control of the region passed on to Hyder Ali in the 18th century.
The Mamankam was originally initiated at Ponnani port as a trade fair. The event used to witness by all the rulers under Samoothiri. The rivalry between the Valluvakonathiri and Samoothiri was clearly visible in Mamankam. There is a stage called 'Nilapadu Thara' where the Samuthiri used to sit. His soldiers used to position around him. Valluvanadu king on his part will send his soldiers to challenge Samoothiri. The fight always was a losing one to Valluvakonathiri. To humiliate the king, bodies of the soldiers were dumped into a well nearby. When the well overfilled with corpses, an elephant was ordered to foot them down. Today this notorious well is known as 'Mani Kinar' ('Kinar' means Well). The remains of Nilapadu Thara is reduced to a slab of stone which too is unnoticeable as the weeds grew over it.
Two of the Tamil Alwars have sung of this temple (in the 8th-9th centuries - Nammalwar and Tirumangaialwar) in a total of 13 verses in Tamil.
Trivia of the day:-
Location: Tirunavaya, Malappuram
Deity: Navamukundan (Narayanan)
Devi: Malarmangai Naachiyaar
Theertham: Senkamala Sarassu (Red lotus lake)
Praises : Nammalwar, Tirumangaialwar
Vimanam: Veda Vimanam
