That there is a temple for Ghosts in Kaanathur, near Kasargod, Kerala is a fact.
But that it holds spirits and gave out information that it was Pilot’s error that caused Mangalore Air crash, well. I take it with a pinch of salt.
Ghost Temple Kaanathur
“The temple is called Nalwaru, which litreally means 4 persons. However, the four persons at the temple are ‘gods of ghosts’! The four deities are Ugramurthy, Panjurli, Raktha-Chamundi & Vishnumurthy. This temple is very sacred, and people fear the deities of the temple. The temple is filled with a lot of tantric powers, very typical to any Keralite temple. The main purpose of this temple is that it servers as a people’s court. Most of the disputes are settled in the temple courtyard, this has been the practice for many decades now. A plaintiff with truth on his side can give a petition to the temple authorities. And defendant will receive a memo (similar to a court’s order) from the temple. If the defendant refuses to obey and decides not to respond to the orders from the temple, and decides not to show-up for hearing at the temple, such persons will be faced with sudden misfortunes, and sudden deaths in their family. Further more, It is also believed that such persons souls will be held by these 4 ghost gods. People in the region and in and around Mangalore, Karnataka are very scared of these 4 gods and do not even speak of these gods casually. Hence they normally show up to avoid the wrath of the ghost gods. It is to be noted that one of Mangalore’s air crash victims soul was held by one such Ghost gods, and after a lot of begging and cajoling by the victim’s family members the ghost gods released his soul, but did tell that all the victims soul from that crash is still held by them, they also confessed that it was not them that caused the accident, but a pilot’s error. Mangalore Airport’s runway was built after relocating a Ghost deity temple. This pilot’s error was later confirmed by the investigation team. The popular belief in this region is when a soul is held by a ghost god/s, the food prepared on their ”teethi” is untouched by the crows or any other animals. ”
Vamana or Trivikrama Avatara of Lord Vishnu was the first wholly Human Avatar and it as the first Avatar in Treta Yuga.
The Chief of the Devas, Indra felt threatened by Mahabali who conquered the three worlds.
Lord Vishnu took the Avatar of a Brahmin midget and requested Mahabali for the grant of land measured by his three feet, when Mahabali conducted a Yaga.
Despite his Guru’s advice that the midget was none other than Lord Vishnu, Mahabali, to keep up his word granted the boy’s wish.
Chuthuvilakku at Thrikkakkara Vamana Temple.
The midget grew huge measured the earth with one step, the Heavens with another and asked for a place for the third step.
Mahabali bowed His head and Lord Vishnu kept His foot on his head.
Vamana as He measured the world is called Trivikrama, One who Has won the three worlds.
He blessed Mahabali and granted his desire to visit his Kingdom once in a year.
This day is celebrated as Onam festival in Kerala.
The exact place where Lord Vamana took His first step is in Kerala.at Thirikakara.
The celebration of the Onam festival is the main religious event in the temple. The festival is celebrated over a period of ten days in the Malayalam month of Chingam. The temple is considered to be the centre of Onam celebrations over the world, as Thrikkakara is considered to have been the abode of the King Mahabali. The temple houses the main deity Lord Vamana.During the Onam celebration period, a pyramidal statue symbolizing Lord Vamana is installed as a symbol of honour at all other sites of the celebration, and named Onathappan or Thrikkakara-appan. The temple is the site at which the king Mahabali is said to have been sent to the underworld Patala by Lord Vamana with his foot, hence marking the genesis of the Onam festival. The etymology of the name Thrikkakara (‘place of the holy foot’) is also derived this way.
During the period of 10 days, the temple showcases performances in several cultural arts such as Chakyar Koothu, Ottamthullal, Kathakali and Patakam[9] as well as dance and musical performances such as Panchavadyam and Thayambaka. Each day also has its own ceremonial significance, and the temple authorities perform several ceremonial rites which involve the main deity and the other deities housed at the temple (namely Lord Ayyapa, Devi, Lord Krishna and Rakshassu). The Shiva temple located beside the main temple is also involved in these rites.
By Rail
Ettumanoor Railway Station connects the temple with the network of Indian railways. This is a halt for some express trains of the region.
By Road:
Ettumanoor is located 11 km north-east of Kottayam district and 65 km away from Cochin. Main Central (MC) Road of the state connects the town from various towns of the region.
When Parashurma threw his Axe to gain land for him to live, the Axe also cleaved the Western Ghats into two,Thenamala and Vada Mala(Southern Mountain and the Northern Mountain).
In Benares,Gaya one can perform Sraddha for the departed, Tonsuring the Hair at Palani,Tirupati, Anna Prasanam, first feed of the child, at Guruvayoor.
There is one Vishnu temple where one can perform all the rituals , birth to death.
Vishnupada,Thirunelli. Image credit.
This temple is in Thirunelli,Kerala.
It is believed that here the prathishta of Lord Vishnu was performed by Lord Brahma.
It is also known as ”Sahyamala Kshetram” and ”Kashi of the South”.
On the western side of the temple is the cave temple Gunnika, dedicated to Lord Shiva.
Thus Thirunelli becomes blessed by the unique presence of all the members of the trinity.
The beautiful Brahmagiri hills and the surrounding lush green forests have made the temple premises a valley of tranquility.
The temple is an embodiment of ancient temple architecture.
The aqua-duct that brings water to the temple is also a witness to hundreds of years of history.
Temple timings: Morning: 5:30 am to 12:00 pm, Evening: 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm.
How To Reach.
The journey to Thirunelli itself unravels the ravishing beauty of the high ranges of Kerala.
If it is from Calicut (Kozhikode), one has to come through Thamarasserry, climb the hair pins of the ghat road and pass the towns Kalpetta and Mananthavady.
If it is from Bangalore, arrive Mysore and then proceed to Thirunelli through Hunsur and Nagarhole.
Thirunelli Temple is located at Thirunelli, 137 kms from Calicut, 121kms from Mysore and 250 kms from Bangalore.
You can reach the temple only by road. When coming from outside Wayanad, the most convenient railhead is Calicut.
From there proceed to Mananthavady and then to Thirunelli by taxi or bus.
The total distance from Calicut is 137 kms when cominig through Koyileri – Mananthavady road. It becomes 141 kms, when coming through 4th mile – Mananthavady road. The nearest airport is Karipur near Calicut, 160 kms away. Calicut Railway station -137 kms
Mysore Railway station -121 kms
Calicut (Karippur) airport – 161 kms Bangalore airport – 280 kms.
Rituals.
t is desirable that those who come for ancestral rites may reach the temple on the eve itself, so that they can conveniently pay the fee at the Devaswam Counter and get the receipt. The fee is to be paid in the name of the performer and not in the name of the deceased.
When one person alone is performing the rites, it is called “oraalpindam”. But one who has remitted the fee for “oraalpindam” can do the obsequies for all the dead ancestors of the ‘tharavaad’ whom he knows and not knows. The fee for “oraalpindam” is Rs 43. This include Rs.35, the share to Thirunelli Temple and Rs.8, the share to Thrissilery Temple (for vilakkumaala). There is facility for the related family members also to sit together and do the rites along with the main performer. This is called “koottupindam”. For this the main performer (the Kaaranavar of the tharavaad) has to remit Rs.43 and each member Rs.30 each.After getting the receipt, the performers have to stand at the temple step, taking bath. Immediately after “deepaaraadhana’ the “Vaadhayaar” (the Priest) will dictate the prayer for all those who have assembled on the step. The performers have to recite this prayer. After the prayer, they have to do “dandanamaskaara”(to prostrate, by falling down at full length) before Thirunelli Perumaal and pay the “kaanikka” (offering). With the above, the rituals to be done on the eve of ancestral rites, come to a close.
Next day without taking bath, between 6 am and 11 am, the performers have to reach the temple and collect the “bali materials” and “dharbha grass” from the special counter arranged on the northern side of the temple, showing the receipt.
After this, they head to the pond, in the sacred stream called Papanashini, located about half a kilometer away, in the forest. There, it will be waist deep water. Now take the first dip in the water, before the actual ritual starts.
On the bank of the pond stands the “Vaadhyaar” (the priest) who administers the ritual. Pilgrims line in the stream with almost ankle-deep flowing water. The ritual material collected from the temple is placed on the boulder in front, and the priest directs and administers the rituals in sequence.
Then they have to return to main temple after praying to Lord Shiva in the “Gunnika Temple”. The rituals come to a close with the reverential circumlocution around the main Temple, worship of the “Perumaal” there and receipt of the “thirmadhura Nivedyam” “theertham” and “Prasaadam”. Those who have the statues with them have to return the same in the counter. Even if one fails to reach the temple on the eve, can perform the rites, the same day, provided they arrive the temple before 11 am.
Thirunelli and Thrissilery temples are closely connected. The traditional ritual is that those who perform the ancestral rites at Thirunelli Temple have to worship Lord Shiva in Thrissilery Temple and make the “Vilakkumaala Vazhipaad” there. But to everybody it is not possible. So there is facility to pay in Thirunelli Temple itself, the fee required for the above “Vazhipaad” at Thrissilery.
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