The Pandavas are said to have toured the region of Kerala extensively while travelling incognito. it is believed that they have installed the idols they were worshipping in five different places, these places are in and around Chengannoor, these are temples at Thiruchittat i.e. Chengannoor itself; Thiruppuliyur, Thiruvanmandoor, Thiruaranmula and thirukodithanam. all within less than 10 mile distance.
The Moolavar here is seen standing facing west known as Imaya Varappar. thayar is Sengamavalli, the theertham is Sanga theertham, or Thiruchittrar and the Vimana is Jagajyothi vimanam. the lord appeared to Shiva.
It is believed that this idolwas installed by and worshipped by Dharmaputra the eldest of the Pandavas. this in bygone days used to be a place vested with Vanchi Puzhachiefs, there were no of priests in charge of daily pooja, with regular Neivedyam and feeding of many brahmins. there are records that nearly 23 measures of rice used to be cooked, the temple also had 200 paras of paddy fields attached to it. festivals were conducted with pomp and pageantry. temple arts such as Chakkiyar koothu, Nangayar koothu, Koodiattam, Koothukoli and Panchavadyam.
Two interesting stories connected to this place begs relating them here again as they are very interesting.
Kasyapa manasaputra of Brahma had two sons named Suran and Padman. one day they approached their father and requested him to advice them as to how they could become powerful immortal and become one body instead of two. they wanted invincibility at the hands of the trimurthis. their father advised them to do japa and seek boon from Shiva. They did as they were advised and Lord Shiva appeared before them and granted their wish. thus sura and padman became Surapadman. they became bloated with pride and started disturbing the yagas being performed by the rishis, they could take different forms and they started disturbing the devas too. the devas approached Siva and asked him to withdraw the boon granted to surapadman. Lord Siva sat meditating by the river Thiruchittrar. Lord Narayana appeared before him, he reminded Siva as how he always caused problems by being very generous in granting boons. he gave a solution to Siva that the boon was only invincibility by the Trimurthi. so Sivas son Subramanya could be asked to solve the problem. Lord Siva was pleased and thus Subramaniam was asked to put an end to the evil deeds of the asura. The fight was fierce towards the end they took the form of a gigantic Mango tree, Now Subramaniam split the tree in two and saw to it that it was flung far away in opposite directions. surapadman lost their identity and they fell at the feet of Subramania and sought forgiveness. and explanation as to how it was possible that they were defeated. As they were now humbled Subramaniam told them that they were eternal and had not lost their lives only as before they were again two entities. they begged Subramaniam to grant them a boon just as Garuda defeated by Perumal sought a gift and got the boon from Narayana. they too requested that their request to become his vahana and insignia be conceded to that is how one became the cock on the flag post and the other a peacock his vahana.
The Dharmaraja story runs like this Dharmaputra was given the task of having to utter a part lie during the Mahabarata war. he was to say within hearing of Dronacharya who could not be defeated easily a sentence in such a way that the first few words must be said in a higher pitch and the ending more silently. As they all knew that Dharmaraja would not under any circumstance utter a lie.
He was to say Aswathama hathaha and elephant at the lower pitch.
But doing this too caused much pain to Dharmaputra. his mental peace was disturbed he had to atone for the sin he felt, he left for a pilgrimage, he came to Chengannoor, when he heard the local story of the Lord Imaya Varappa Perumal had given darshan to Shiva he too wanted to Lord to set his mind at rest, he therefore prayed to the Lord, he was blessed, as thanks giving he renovated the temple and installed the idol worshipped by him here.
Another feature to be noted is the Vishnu Idol here has the Conch in the right hand and the Sri chakra in the left hand.
The Moolavar here is seen standing facing west known as Imaya Varappar. thayar is Sengamavalli, the theertham is Sanga theertham, or Thiruchittrar and the Vimana is Jagajyothi vimanam. the lord appeared to Shiva.
It is believed that this idolwas installed by and worshipped by Dharmaputra the eldest of the Pandavas. this in bygone days used to be a place vested with Vanchi Puzhachiefs, there were no of priests in charge of daily pooja, with regular Neivedyam and feeding of many brahmins. there are records that nearly 23 measures of rice used to be cooked, the temple also had 200 paras of paddy fields attached to it. festivals were conducted with pomp and pageantry. temple arts such as Chakkiyar koothu, Nangayar koothu, Koodiattam, Koothukoli and Panchavadyam.
Two interesting stories connected to this place begs relating them here again as they are very interesting.
Kasyapa manasaputra of Brahma had two sons named Suran and Padman. one day they approached their father and requested him to advice them as to how they could become powerful immortal and become one body instead of two. they wanted invincibility at the hands of the trimurthis. their father advised them to do japa and seek boon from Shiva. They did as they were advised and Lord Shiva appeared before them and granted their wish. thus sura and padman became Surapadman. they became bloated with pride and started disturbing the yagas being performed by the rishis, they could take different forms and they started disturbing the devas too. the devas approached Siva and asked him to withdraw the boon granted to surapadman. Lord Siva sat meditating by the river Thiruchittrar. Lord Narayana appeared before him, he reminded Siva as how he always caused problems by being very generous in granting boons. he gave a solution to Siva that the boon was only invincibility by the Trimurthi. so Sivas son Subramanya could be asked to solve the problem. Lord Siva was pleased and thus Subramaniam was asked to put an end to the evil deeds of the asura. The fight was fierce towards the end they took the form of a gigantic Mango tree, Now Subramaniam split the tree in two and saw to it that it was flung far away in opposite directions. surapadman lost their identity and they fell at the feet of Subramania and sought forgiveness. and explanation as to how it was possible that they were defeated. As they were now humbled Subramaniam told them that they were eternal and had not lost their lives only as before they were again two entities. they begged Subramaniam to grant them a boon just as Garuda defeated by Perumal sought a gift and got the boon from Narayana. they too requested that their request to become his vahana and insignia be conceded to that is how one became the cock on the flag post and the other a peacock his vahana.
The Dharmaraja story runs like this Dharmaputra was given the task of having to utter a part lie during the Mahabarata war. he was to say within hearing of Dronacharya who could not be defeated easily a sentence in such a way that the first few words must be said in a higher pitch and the ending more silently. As they all knew that Dharmaraja would not under any circumstance utter a lie.
He was to say Aswathama hathaha and elephant at the lower pitch.
But doing this too caused much pain to Dharmaputra. his mental peace was disturbed he had to atone for the sin he felt, he left for a pilgrimage, he came to Chengannoor, when he heard the local story of the Lord Imaya Varappa Perumal had given darshan to Shiva he too wanted to Lord to set his mind at rest, he therefore prayed to the Lord, he was blessed, as thanks giving he renovated the temple and installed the idol worshipped by him here.
Another feature to be noted is the Vishnu Idol here has the Conch in the right hand and the Sri chakra in the left hand.
