The Thiruvangad Sree Rama Swami temple located at Thalassery, 1 km from Thalassery town, in Kannur district, is dedicated to Lord Sri Rama and is one of the oldest temples in Kerala. The temple is within 2 km away from Tellicherry Railway Station and Bus Stand. The temple houses approximately 400 year old and rare exquisitely carved sculptures. It is believed to be the oldest among the four temples (others are Triprayar, Thiruvilwamala, Kadavallur etc.) dedicated to Lord Sri Rama in the state.
The chief deity carved out in Krishna Shila (Krishna stone) is Sree Rama reverently referred to by local people as Thiruvangad Perumal. The temple premises extends approximately an area of 2.75 hectares with an adjoining temple pond which extends an area of one hectare. In between the outer wall and the temple pond is a Gopuram, which was originally a seven storeyed structure which was destroyed during Tippu Sultan’s invasion.
According to 'Kerala Mahatmyam', the temple was built by Lord Parasurama while another hearsay point out that this temple is about 2000 years old. According to legends, this shrine was consecrated by sage Swetha. The legend is that sage Agasthya on his way to Kauveri River, for offering his ablutions, was once confronted by two demons namely Neela and Swetha. The sage cursed them for disturbing him and on request for penance, they were advised to perform worship at two Shiva Temples and they became Neelarshi and Swetharshi, two thapasis. The places where Neelarshi and Swetharshi performed their worship came to be known as Neeleswaram and Swetharanyapuram respectively. The latter was a dense forest at that time. It is said that sage Swetha consecrated a Vishnu temple also (where deity is worshiped as Sri Rama now) at the site where he performed his worship. Another version of the legend says that Shiva idol was consecrated by Neelarshi (who worshiped Shiva) and Vishnu idol by Swetharshi (who worshiped both Shiva and Vishnu).
The idol is Chathurbahu (with four hands) and is believed to be in a disposition immediately after the killing of demons Khara-Thrissirasu-Dooshana along with their fourteen thousand soldiers. It is also the belief that Sita Devi was hidden in a nearby cave during the fight with Khara and others under Lakshmana's surveilence, which now came to be known as Pokkinassery, since the luggage (also called as Pokkinam) of Sri Rama, Lakshmana and Sita were safe deposited there.
Sree Hanuman is consecrated in front, slightly towards the left of Sri Rama and the pilgrims give equal importance to Sri Hanuman also. The idol of Hanuman is made of metal. The other sub-deities are Goddess Porkali Devi in the Namaskara Mandapam, Lord Subrahmaniya near Thidappally facing West, Lord Ganapathy and Lord Dakshinamoorthy in the South, Lord Vana Sasthavu in the Pichaka thara and Lord Krishna on the north side facing East. It is said that the idols of some of these sub-deities might have been transferred from the neighbouring temples for safe custody during Tippu’s invasion and remained there ever after.
Naivedya offerings for Sri Rama are Neyyamruthu, Payasam etc. and other offerings are Neyvilakku, Pushpanjali, Garland etc. Avil (beaten rice) sweetened with sugar, banana and coconut scrapings are offered for Hanuman. Special offerings are Kalaba Charthu and Niramala with additional illuminataion and decorations. Goddess Porkali Devi is offered soaked rice as an inevitable naivedyam in accordance with the legend concerning the consecration of Porkali Devi in the Namaskara Mandapa.
There are several authoritative references and records to suggest that the temple and its premises have witnessed the executions of several historical treaties and invasions. The earliest reference is possibly the inscription on the huge Balikallu in front of the temple denoting the year of reconstruction of the temple as AD 826. According to history, the temple was an outpost of the Thalassery fort in the eighteenth century. The temple premises had often hosted conferences between the officials of the East India Company and local leaders.
The book 'Kerala Charithram' refers to the occupation of Thalassery and Thiruvangad by the troops of Kolathu Nadu, Kadathanadu and Kottayam Raja in protest against the British Chief Mr. Dorin in 1750. When Hyder Ali of Mysore invaded the Chirakkal Palace of Kolathiri Raja with the help of Arakkal Ali Raja, Kolathiri Royal family took refuge in this temple in 1766. The area where Tippu Sultan led his troops during his invasion is Perumkkalam where the Pallivetta (the annual holy hunting tour of Thiruvangad Perumal on the sixth and final day of Vishu Festival) is conducted at present.
East India Company and the British were keen to protect the interest of this temple as evidenced in the references in the Logan's Manual. The "Brass pagoda" referred by Mr. Logan is the sanctum of this temple. The inscription on the compound wall on the eastern side reads "the wall around this pagoda was constructed under the supervision of T.H. Baber Esq. in 1815". Mr. Baber, the then Sub Collector of Malabar, was an ardent devotee and daily visitor of the temple who evinced immense interest in the affairs of the temple. In the olden days the Aarattu festival (the holy dipping of the idol) on the seventh day of the temple festival used to be conducted near the General Hospital in the Arabian Sea. The venue was subsequently shifted to the temple tank consequent to the handing over of the ownership right by one of the four Ooralars named Ponol Moosad to the East India Company. It is also to be noted that fifty per cent of the temple lands were made tax free in 1866 by the then Governor of Madras.
The annual festival of the temple starts on the Vishu day, the first day of the month of Medom (April- May) called 'Vishu Mahotsavam' and the festival is a colorful one with elephant pageantries, processions, fire-works and traditional temple orchestra (Panchavadyam). The festival is accompanied by various rituals at the sanctum sanctorum, followed by the procession of Perumal around the temple in royal gaiety. The small procession idol of Sri Rama is taken on top of the elephant accompanied by the entourage of various categories of decorated silk umbrellas, royal symbols, foot soldiers with bows and arrows, swords and shields in the company of numerous flag bearers amidst of Pandi and Panchari Melam.
Pattathanam is another important function celebrated on the Thiruvonam day in the month of Makaram. It is believed that this is the commemoration of the day of consecration. It is possible that this function is in conformity with the celebration of Revathi Pattathanam conducted by Samoothiri Raja of Kozhikode to confer literary honours to great scholars. It is interesting to note that Samoothiri and Kolathiri (under whose jurisdiction this temple is located) were arch rivals and enemies.
Thiruvangad temple is replete with sculptures wrought in wood. Kiratharjuneeyam – the story of Arjuna's encounter with Lord Shiva who had appeared before him disguised as a hunter is depicted through the beautiful carvings on the twenty structures supporting the ceiling of the sanctum sanctorum. The ceiling of the Namaskara Mandapam abounds in sculptural excellence. The wooden canopy of the ceiling has 44 images of Devi in different forms, in the lower belt. Above that on all sides is a panel covered with sculptures of birds with outstretched wings. Again, further above this panel of breathtaking beauty, we can visualize ten heads of elephants surrounded by men trying to chain the uncontrollable elephants. Over this panel is fixed the wooden ceiling with scenes from Ramanaya. The story of Ramayana unfolds, commencing from the southern side from the childhood of Sri Rama beginning with the heroic deeds to protect sage Viswamithra's Yaga, Ahalya Moksha, Sita Swayamvara and so on. On the westeren side can be seen Sri Rama, Lakshmana and Sita in Panchavadi, saffron cladded Ravana entering the parnasala, Sita being carried away by Ravana in pushpaka vimana and Jatayu's fight with Ravana, all with exquisite and classy workmanship. In the panels that follow, we see Sri Rama and Lakshmana wandering through the woods in search of Sita, the wounded Jatayu his face expressing the cruel treatment he received from Ravana, the headless Kabandha, the fight with Kabandha and his redemption from the curse and of regaining his original Gandharva form.
The figures on the northern side commence with Hanuman appearing before Sri Rama and Lakshmana in the guise of a Brahmin. Recognising the brothers, Hanuman appears in his true form, carries them on his shoulders to Sugreeva, then follow the episodes of the pact between Sri Rama and Sugreeva, the fight between Bali and Sugreeva, Sugreeva's coronation, Bali's death and Sree Rama consoling Thara, wife of Bali, with his words of wisdom. On the northern side we see the episodes of Shoorpanaka's appearance as Kaamaroopini, Lakshmana disfiguring her, the entry of Khara with his his huge demon army and the battle between Khara and Sri Rama leading to the death of the demon. Another panel running around, depicts the battle between Bali and Mayavi, Hanuman's entry to Ashoka vana, his meeting with Sita Devi, handing over of ring and Hanuman's flight back to Sri Rama.
There is and interesting hearsay about the outer wall constructed by Mr. T.H. Baber, then the Malabar Collector who was deputed by the British to quell the great Pazhassi Raja. Mr. Baber entered the temple compound riding on his horse when an old man advised him not to go in front of Perumal on horse back. When he reached the Eastern entrance of the temple the horse fell flat and could not get up in spite of Baber’s efforts to revive it. Being convinced about the supreme power of the deity, Mr. Baber constructed the compound wall and became a devotee.
In the second half of the 18th century when Tippu sultan attacked Kerala and reached the eastern fields in front of the temple, firing at the seven storeyed gopuram, it seems a lady sweeper of the temple complained to the Lord about the impending disaster. It is said that she heard a voice asking her to look east words closing one of her eyes and on doing so she she saw a mutiny in the enemy camp as a consequence of which Tippu had to retreat. The woman sweeper lost sight of her eye with which she saw the mutiny in the enemy camp while the sight of the closed eye was intact. The defective eye is said to inherit even to this day for at least one member of the family of the woman sweeper.
Porkali Devi of nearby Muzhakkunnu is the deity consecrated in the Namakara Mandapam. The story is that there was an argument between the Chief Priest (Mel Shanthi) and the Marar (the specialist in temple music) about the former’s ability to show Devi’s presence through his tantric ability and the latter’s power to attract Devi with his music. The Chief Priest challenged Marar, which he accepted gracefully. Meanwhile the Chief Priest was about to prepare the Naivedyam for Devi, the Marar with his instrument attracted Devi. Being sensed the danger, the Chief Priest (who due to the lack of time could not prepare the Naivedyam) in haste has to offer the wet rice (uncooked) to the Devi. The Chief priest admitted the defeat over the Marar’s ability, and according to the condition of the bet, the Chief Priest entrapped the most powerful goddess inside the present wooden enclosure. Since then the main offering to Devi is the wet rice.
The hearsay about the damages to one of the golden thazhikakudams (pinnacle pots) on the copper roof of the temple is that it was caused by robbers who unsuccessfully tried to scale the height of the temple using Udumbu (a kind of giant lizard) and rope.
There is also a belief that no story or play in any form pertaining to Khara Vadha (killing of Khara) can be staged in the temple compound because of an unfortunate experience a Kathakali artist had in olden days. The artist who mouthed Khara’s War found himself in the temple tank below the gopuram due to some hallucinatory experience.
It is also believed that the chief architect of this temple is Perumthachan (Uliyannoor divine carpenter), who has concealed a measuring scale (Muzhakkol) somewhere behind the artistic sculptures in the temple. The architect who can locate it, can claim the honour of Moothasari (senior leader carpenter) title of the area.
Vadakkedam and Kizhakkedam are the two Shiva Temples in the compound of which the former is the age old shrine where Swetha performed their worship. The divine power of Lord Shiva in Vadakkedam was said to cause severe drought and crop loss in the eastern paddy fields of Vayalalam, Kodiyeri etc. The remedy suggested by the astrologers was to establish another temple of Shiva opposite to Vadakkedam to tranquilise the aggressiveness of Shiva.
The sacred relation between Thirunelli Maha Vishnu Temple in Wayanad district and this temple is well known. Some of minor deities of this temple are believed to have been brought from Thirunelli. Astrologers say that there is a physical connection between Pancha Theertham of Tirunelly and the temple tank of Thiruvangad temple. At the flag hoisting ceremony on the onset of Vishu Mahotsavam, there is a customary question to be asked aloud, whether the flag of Thirunelli has been lowered. The flag can be hoisted only on receipt of an affirmative reply taken from a Brahmin who is entitle to get a monetary reward as a token.
In the olden days the festival used to be of fourteen days duration, when the idol of Rama was taken round in grandeur on the head of a temple employee, called moosath, through different villages. There was a long standing feud between this moosath of the temple and Kurungote Nair, a powerful local chieftain. Once when the entourage reached Kurungote Nair's area, he killed the moosath with his sword leading to chaos. Since then the Mahotsavam is conducted with in the temple compound. According to astrologers, the soul of that Moosath is still wandering in this temple. It is also said that Moosath met with his end on the northern side of the temple and in memory of which, the custom of concluding the Mahotsavam on the sixth day on the northern side has come to stay. Even today the members of the Kurungote Nair’s family do not enter the temple premises.
