Vinayaka Chaturthi Easwaramangalam Shri Maha Siva Ganapathy Temple
VINAYAKA CHATURTHI EASWARAMANGALAM SHRI MAHA SIVA GANAPATHY TEMPLE
Panchayath/ Municipality/ Sreekrishnapuram Corporation
LOCATION District Palakkad
Nearest Town/ SBT junction– 600 m Landmark/ Junction
Nearest Bus station Chandapura Bus Stop– 550 m
Nearest Railway Ottapalam railway station- 24 km station ACCESSIBILITY
Nearest Airport Calicut International Airport- 72km
Sreekrishnapuram, Palakkad Pin:679513 Email : [email protected] Website : www.easwaramangalamtemple.com CONTACT Phone: +91 9947850723, 0466-2202576
DATES FREQUENCY DURATION
TIME August-September Annual 10 days ABOUT THE FESTIVAL (Legend/History/Myth)
Easwaramangalam Shri Maha Siva Ganapathy temple is situated in the heart of Easwaramangalam ,Sreekrishnapuram panchayat in Palakkad district ,Kerala. This temple is approximately 500 years old, even though the main idol is lord Shiva, Mahaganapathy is very famous in this temple, and the main offerings are Neyyappams and Ottappam.Lord Narasimha moorthy, the avatar of Vishnu is also another main idol in a separate temple within the premises.
The Vinayaka Chathurthi festival is conducted to celebrate the birthday of Lord Ganesha – the supreme God of wisdom and prosperity. Vinayaka Chathurthi is one of the most sacred festivals of Hindu. There is a curiously interesting tale about the birth of Ganesha. It is believed that once while Goddess Parvathi was bathing, she created a human figure from some unguent and balm, gave him life and asked him to guard the door while she bathed. After a long period of meditation on Mountain Kailash (Lord Shiva’s abode), Shiva chose that very moment to drop by to see his better half, but was abruptly stopped by the man, Goddess Parvathi had posted at the door. Outraged by the cheek of this stranger, Shiva cut off his head only to discover moments later that he had killed Parvathi’s son! For fear of enraging his wife, Shiva immediately dispatched his ganas (attendants) to get him the head of the first living creature they could find. Well, the first living creature happened to be an elephant. As instructed, the head was chopped off and brought back to Shiva, who placed it on Parvati’s son’s body, bringing him back to life. This elephant-headed god was welcomed into the first family of the Hindu heavens and named Ganesha or Ganapati, which literally means the chief of the ganas, or the attendants of Shiva.
Local Approximately 5000 RELEVANCE- NO. OF PEOPLE (Local / National / International) PARTICIPATED EVENTS/PROGRAMS DESCRIPTION (How festival is celebrated)
Special poojas Offerings During the ten days of Ganesh Chaturthi, the image of the Procession God is worshipped in the temple. There a special poojas and offerings made to god on this festive days.
The ceremony begins by placing the image in a sacred throne like arena. The worshipper then sips holy water and bows before Ganesha. The priest then performs a ritual by which the idol is said to be imbued with life. Worshippers bathe and the priest wears a silken lower garment, usually red, with a shawl around his shoulders. The Ganapati aarti then completes the rituals of the first day.
For the remaining days, the idol is worshipped, morning and evening, with simple recitations of the, devotional songs, offerings of flowers, incense and lamps. There is a lot of pandal hopping and the atmosphere is of joy and gaiety. There are competitions and prizes for the best and the safest pandal. The sheer grandeur and craftsmanship along with the innovations which are included to out do the other pandals is breath taking. People dressed in their best celebrate the birthday of this generous God with pomp and joy.
After ten days of ritual worship, the God returns to his heavenly abode and his image is immersed in water. The immersion ritual is simple. Parting gifts of coconuts, flowers and burning camphor cubes are offered to the idol, accompanied by the singing of the devotional songs. The immersion marks the end of the ten-day festival.