Thottuva Sree Dhanwanth
ari
Temple is one of the few Lord Dhanvantari Temples in Kerala, India. The
presiding deity is Adi Dhanwanthiri and the idol is almost six feet
tall and facing east. On the right hand the lord holds Amrith and with
the left hand the lord holds Atta, Shanku and Chakra. Sub deities are
Ayyappan, Ganapathy, Bhadrakali and Rakshas.
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Fresh un-boiled milk is
offered here, the important offering is butter.
The idol of Thottuva Sree Dhanwantahri Temple was laid by Parasurama
5000 years ago as per the legend and hence the deity is known by the
name Adi Dhanwanthiri. Then over the years the temple was managed by a
Namboodiri (Kerala Brahmin) family called Korumbur Mana.The temple had
lots of landed property in the olden times. Sree Sankaracharya used to
worship here regularly. Lord Dhanwanthari is the Lord of Ayurveda - the
herbal medical science.
In the Thottuva Sree Dhanwanthari temple the
devotees who pray with complete faith used to get the desired results.
It is customary to bathe in the canal (Thodu) near the river before
offering prayers. Those who are not blessed with children offer
Palpayasam (Milk Pudding) for seven consecutive days and they are
blessed with a child. Those who have contracted chronic diseases use the
oil used for anointing the idol as medicine. Those with skin disease
offer yam and salt and get cured.
History
The main deity
is Adi Dhanwanthari, and this is the only temple in Kerala where it is
so. It is declared that this temple is more than 1000 years ancient. The
legend is that several years ago three Namboodiri families living in
the hills of Malayatoor were closely related to this temple
. These
families has Shiva, Bhagawathy and Vishnu as their family deities. In
those days Sankaracharya happened to visit these Namboodiri families. He
was not offered food or alms. This made him unhappy and so there was a
curse on these families. The family was ruined and so they left the
place and traveled to a place called 'Kodanad'. When they felt hungry,
they prepared food in three different pots. They used bamboo as firewood
for cooking. Two of them lighted the bamboo turning upwards and one
turned it downwards.
The two Brahmins who had lighted the bamboo by
keeping it upwards were able to cook the food very quickly and they
continued their journey. All the places through which they travailed
became their own. The other Brahmin was unable to cook the food soon
because he had lighted the bamboo turning it downwards. Since he was
late, he started his journey slowly therefore he did not get any
property. Feeling very unhappy he reached the place where at present the
temple is situated.
Keeping his umbrella (Olakuda) on the ground he
began preparing 'Nivedyam' for the evening Pooja. After having food,
feeling mentally upset, he went to sleep and the Namboodiri heard the
Divine voice of Lord Dhanwanthari telling him not to worry and that he
will be able to manage with His Devotees. The place where the Namboodiri
had kept his palmleaf umbrella came to be known as 'Kudappadom'.
Temple Timings
05:30 to 10:30 (Morning)
05:30 to 07:30 (Evening)
05:30 to 11:30 (Sunday and Festival Days (Thiruvonam))
05:30 to 07:30 (Sunday and Festival Days (Thiruvonam) Eve)
Festivals
**************
Festivals are conducted on Ekadashi during the Malayalam month of
Vrischikam, and on the Pooyam star day during the month of Medam, which
is the consecration day. Every year the Annual Festival falls on
Guruvayoor Ekadasi day (Ekadasi in the month of Vrischikam)
and it is
celebrated with pomp and splendour. The Dasavatharam Chandanam Chartal
(when the idol is anointed with Sandal paste and the shape of each
Avathars of Mahavishnu that is Matsya Avatar, Koorma Avatar, Varaha
Avatar, Narasimha Avatar, Vamana Avatar, Parasurama Avatar, Sree Rama
Avatar,
Sri Krishna Avatar, Balarama Avatar ) during first to eleventh
of Dhanu is very famous and thousands of devotees from far and wide come
to Thottuva these days and offer their prayers. Every month
(Thiruvonam), there used to be a feast (prasadam oottu) for the
devotees. On that day Palpayasam (milk pudding) is offered by some
devotees (with pregnancy problems) to conceive child.
* Mandala Masam (Ekadashi Maholsavam)
* Dashavathara Maholsavam
* Pradhishta Dhinam
How to Reach
Thottuva is a village situated 9 km northeast of Perumbavoor town and 8
km east of Kalady on the Southern banks of River Periyar. The name of
the village is Thottuva because it is situated on the banks (Vakkath) of
this stream (Thodu). On the Perumbavoor - Kodanad Bus route one
kilometre away from Thottuva junction in Koovapady Panchayat at
Ernakulam district. Devotees can also reach the temple via Kalady -
Malayattoor route from the Thottuva junction boat jetty.
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