Annapoorneswari – Cherukunnilamma Temple
Cherukunnu Annapoorneswari temple is the only Durga temple in Kerala where Parvathi Devi Mahamaya is in 'Annapoorna Bhavam'(Mother of all meals). Annam means food Poornam (purnam) means full. The meaning of the Bhavam Annapurna is one who gives food to every needy without restriction. The idol is with a ladle in one hand. Annapurna is the goddess with a golden ladle.
Annapoorneswari – Cherukunnilamma Temple
As the name Annapoorna indicates, Annadhanam (free food distribution) is a very important offering to the goddess. The food, rice with at least one gravy curry is given to the devotees as the prasaadams. This temple gives food to all devotees who come here for worship and want to take food. Food is offered two times, during lunch and dinner every day. The chuttambalam – naalambalam surrounding the sanctum sanctorum is vast to take care of the dining place (Outta Pura) for the devotees to partake the food offered. The temple is acclaimed as offering food in abundance to those who come here to worship.The Annapurna temple
is in a beautiful locality called Cherukunnu with back waters around a large portion, and in the midst of hills with greenery all around. The temple is located in a village about 3 km from town. Cherukunnu is in Kannur District. This is a very famous temple of Kerala and especially of region formerly known as the Malabar. The belief about the structure of the temple is that the same is made of polished stones bonded with a mixture of flattened rice and jaggery (Avil and Vellam).
The Annapoorneswari temple Pond Next to the Temple on the right side is the temple pond (Ambala Kolam). The pond is of about 2.5 acres in area and is called as Chira. The temple pond will always have water at a very high level. In the center of this Chira there is a stambham – pole. The pond – chira has four major entrances. On the south west side of the pond there is shelter. This sheltered portion of the pond is exclusively for the use of the priests (poojarees).
The temple was supposed to have been built during the 5th century AD. This temple is the principal deity worshiped (family deity) by the erstwhile Ruling family of Chirakkal. The temple was renovated by the Avittam Thirunal Valiya Raja. The present form of the temple is more than century old. A Punah Prathista was done in the year 1994 on the Pooyam star day of Kumbha Masa of Malayalam era. How the name Cherukunnu came into being:
Cheru means small or little and kunnu means hill that is small hill. Around this place there are five small hills. Hence the place got the name Cherukunnu.
There is a Mythological version, according to which a heap of cooked rice is made 'choru kunnu', to offer to the people who come here for their partaking the food prasaadams (Annadhanam). The word 'Chorukunnu' later changed into 'Cherukunnu'.Specialties of Cherukunnu Annapoorneswari Temple:
1. The temple was originally a vaishnav temple with the deity Sri Krishna (lord Krishna) in the Sri Kovil (sanctum sanctorum). Later the Sri Kovil for the Cherukunnilamma was added on to North side where the deity of Annapoorna Devi is installed . Both the Sri Kovils are of the same size, shape and made of same type of stones. This shows that both the god and goddess are having equal importance in the temple. It is the belief of the local people that the Devi Annapoorna visited the shrine and she liked the place and stayed there.
2. The main entrance to the temple is to the Sri Kovil of the Sri Krishna. There is no direct entrance to the Devi's Sri Kovil. First the devotees have to offer pooja to Sri Krishna and then proceed to the Annapoorneswari Sri Kovil which is on the right side to Sri Krishna shrine. Both the shrines (Sri Kovils) are enclosed in a chuttambalam (naalambalam). In front of the Devi shrine there is no door but there is a hole in the wall of the chuttambalam. Devotees who do not want to go inside can have darshan of the Devi through this hole. The reason that is attributed to the non existence of a door to the Devi shrine is that in the olden days the Brahmin ladies (Antharjanams) are not supposed to be seen directly.
3. Main deity is Maha Vishnu in the form of Lord Krishna. The temple is known as Cherukunnilamma – Annapoorneswari temple.
4. Inside the Annapoorna Devi's sanctum sanctorum, there is a mirror idol (kannadi bimbam) of the Devi, of around 3 feet tall which is a rare phenomenon not found usually in other Devi temples in Kerala.
5. The Cherukunnu Annapurna Devi temple is in the list of the four major centers of Annapurna worship in India. Of the other 2, one in Kashi (Banaras) Siva temple; one is in Horanadu in Karnataka about 300 km from Cherukunnu, on the western Ghat section. The 4th one is either the Annapoorneswari temple of Kanauji in Uttar Pradesh or in Thiruchanur near Thirupathi in Andhra Pradesh.
6. This temple in Kerala is in the category of the top 4 major Annapoorneswari Temples in India.
7. The whole temple is built with one singe type of rocks.
Legends about Cherukunnu Annapoorneswari Temple:
1. The Annapurna Devi temple is one of the 108 Devi temples and 108 Siva temples consecrated by Lord Parasurama in the land supposed to have been recovered by him. The legend behind this is deed is that Parasurama had remorse or regret for his killing the Kshtriyas 21 times and wanted to offset this by donating land as gift. Whatever land he had was given to Sage Kashyapa. So he requested at Gokarna to the Lord Varuna, god of water for giving him some land for gifting to Brahmins. Lord Varuna agreed for this. He suggested that let Parasurama fling his maze – axe (parasu – kodaali) from the place where he is standing namely Gokarna. From this point to the point where the maze falls will be vacated by Varuna and Parasurama can have it for gifting. The maze fell at the point of the present Kanyakumari. The land that was created thus formed the Kerala originally and later divided into 3 portions, one the present Kerala and the other part is now forming part of Karnataka and the third, the present Kanyakumari district is in Tamilnad. Parasurama gifted this land to Brahmins and settled them in 64 villages. He consecrated 216 temples, 108 Durga temples and 108 Siva temples for the prosperity and well being of the people of Kerala. The northern most of the temples so came up is the Gokarna and the southernmost is the Kanyakumari.
2. According to one mythological belief, Sree Annapoorneswari visited the shrine of Sri Krishna which was under the sea. She liked the place so much that she requested Lord Siva for permission for her stay there for some time. He agreed for her desire. Later this shrine was elevated by Lord Parasurama from under the sea.
3. According to another Mythology, Sree Parvathy (Annapoorneswari) of Kashi had a dream of a prosperous and beautiful land with righteous people then known as Kolathunadu. She wanted to visit the place and took permission from Lord Siva to go there. She got a golden ship made by the gods' craftsman, Viswakarma, and proceeded the journey with 2 maids and a number of their servants by river and sea. When the ship came to the place called Azhi Theeram which is now known as Ayirum Thengu, they got down from the ship and went to the present temple. Later the Kolathiri ruler of that time implored her to continue her stay and bless the people. She agreed for the request.
4. The temple originally of Lord Vishnu/Krishna dates back to 1500 years. After the parthista (giving sacred power to the idol of Annapoorneshwari) of Amma, another shrine was built by Avittam thirunal Raja Raja Varma of Chirakkal Kovilakam.
5. This deity was in the temple complex of the Sri Raja Rajseawara temple of Thaliparamba. When Tipu's army came to this place they desecrated the whole complex and several deities of this temple complex were shifted to various places. The one of Annapoorneswari, wife of Siva was shifted and installed in the Sri Krishna temple of Cherukunnu. Every year during the festivals the locals believe that the Raja Rajseawara Swamy will be going to the Cherukunnu temple after the Athazha pooja (supper pooja). Festivals of Sree Annapoorneswari Temple:
The main festival is the Vishu Vilakku in April every year. This is celebrated for a full week with spectacular fireworks and performances of other forms arts.
The Prathistha dinam is observed on Pooyam star day of Kumbha month. The Siva Rathri, Navami and Ekadasi are also celebrated in this temple.
Management of the temple is done by the temple committee under the Malabar Devasom Board. Location and how to reach:
It is 3 km from the Chirakkal Village and 12 km from Thaliparamba. Kannur is at 14 km distance. Buses and autos and taxis are available from major centers of Kannur.Other places of interest:
Kannur town, Kannur beaches,
Other Hindu Religious Places: Thaliparamba Raja Rajeswara temple, Payyannur temple, small islets of Ayiram Thengu and Mungam, Trichambaram Sri Krishna temple, Kanhirangad Vaidyanatha Temple and Mazhoor Dharmikulangara temple.
For Christians the nearby places are: Thavam Roman Catholic Church is the famous and very old church of Malabar and a heritage place for Roman Catholics. Other churches are the Kattakulam, Paadiyil Ferry and Kavinisseri (Christhukunnu)
For Muslims the place of interest in Cherukunnu is the Oliyankara (Oliankara) Juma Masjid. The legend about this Masjid has it that the boatman of the golden ship, who brought the Annapoorneswari Devi and her maids and servants, was asked to wait at Ayiramthengu for their return. Accordingly he waited. When he did not see the Davis he built this Masjid during his waiting period.
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