Thirunavaya Nava Mukunda Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Karipur International Airport is about 45 km away. Cochin International Airport is also listed as a nearby airport.

• By train

  Tirunavaya railway station at Kuttippuram is 7 km away, and Tirur is 11 km away.

Why devotees come here

Thirunavaya Nava Mukunda Temple stands in Thirunavaya town, about 8 km south of Tirur, Malappuram district, Kerala, on the northern bank of the Bharathappuzha. Vishnu is worshipped here as Navamukunda Perumal. Kerala Tourism calls it one of the oldest Vishnu temples in the state.

Thirunavaya Nava Mukunda Temple is one of the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to Vishnu. The idol of Navamukunda is 6 feet tall, made of stone and covered with pancha loha. Legend says nine yogis installed nine idols. The first eight sank into the earth as soon as they were placed, and the ninth sank to its knees before it was stopped.

The central shrine, the sri kovil, houses the idol. Between the nalambalam and the sanctum is a raised square namaskara mandapa with a pyramidal roof. Lakshmi has a separate shrine, and sculptures around the sanctum show the ten avatars of Vishnu.

According to Kerala Tourism, the present structure was renovated by Vettath Raja about 1,300 years ago. The same source describes the temple as 6,000 years old. In the south-east corner stands the Pazhukka mandapam, a stage from which the Zamorin's family watched the Mamankam festival.

Festivals

• Karkidakam month, July to August, on the Vavu amavasi dayKarkidaka Vavu Bali

  Hindus from northern Kerala come to perform pitrkriya, the bali tarpana ritual, for their ancestors. Ceremonies are held at homes and on temple premises.

• Every 12 yearsMamankam

  A 28-day festival with trade fairs, sports, martial arts and folk arts, held during the reign of the Chera dynasty on the banks of the Bharathappuzha.

Tips for your visit

• According to media, more than 50,000 devotees performed vavu bali here in 2015.
• The Thirunavaya Lotus lake and Lotus farm nearby is a popular tourist destination.

Questions people ask