Navamukunda Temple: Folklore of Nine yogis !

 

In the Malappuram district along the banks of the Bharathapuzha is the Navamukunda Temple which has been a place of worship for many over centuries. The temple considered to be one among the 108 Divya Desams of Lord Vishnu has many legends attached to it & stories that people of all generations have revered. The temple also known as the Thirunavaya temple is  a place of worship  with very simple architecture which attracts all to pray with all its divinity.

The origin of the temple is not  clear but its story stems from that of mythology which is also the reason for its very unique name. The temple has no pond & all rituals are conducted from the water taken from the river which is also given the dignity of being a twin of the Ganga in the north. As per belief the name Thirunavaya comes from Thiru-nava-yogi or nine sacred yogis. The descendent of Lord Rama, King Rishabha had 9 sons & they were all considered to be very devoted to Lord Vishnu. They set out for a sojourn around the land &  are said to have found 9 salagramas in the Gandaki river. The salagrams were meant to be placed in a place which showed the yogis the presence of Lord Vishnu. They are said to have walked south & when they came to the banks of the Bharatpuzha are said to have had a vision to place the salagrams there. It is believed that they also chose this place as it was a land which had the presence of the Banyan trees which looked like a grove. The elder son first placed the salagram & before he could complete the pujas, the stone was absorbed by the land. The other seven brothers followed but all their salagrams also had the same fate. The youngest brother placed the salagram in the same place & as it was  also being absorbed he held it & prayed to Lord Vishnu. The salagram  stopped  half way & the idol of Lord Vishnu was consecrated. Even today the idol is placed in such a  way where the legs are sunk in the ground with the image of Chaturbuj Vishnu (lord with 4 hands). As the nine yogis  performed the consecration of the idol here it became known as Thirunavaya. The name Nava Mukunda also comes from the fact that the  Mukunda is consecrated by the Nine Yogis. The legend of the name made the temple one of the most important temples in Kerala.

The temple is also revered due to the belief that Lord Parasurama visited the temple to cleanse his sins. The temple apart from being a place to pray is also considered by Hindus as a place  to find peace for the departed soul. The banks of the temple  are used by devotees to perform the rites of the ancestors as the bharathapuzha river is considered to be of the same dignity as that of kashi. The architecture of the temple is based on the Kerala traditional style with the central sanctum, namaskara mandapam, sub shrines, oottupura & sopanam. The construction of the first temple has no official records but it is believed that the celebrated carpenter, Perunthachan is said to have led the reconstruction work of the temple under the instructions of the Vettath raja who ruled these lands. The temple is also a place where one can find the chisel of perumthachan placed within the stones on the west side of the temple structure. According to folklore, there was a slight tilt to the structure & in order to correct it, Perumthachan is said to have inserted his  chisel into the stone cavity to restore the level. The banyan tree outside the temple is also said to be quite ancient & it even today stands as a place of shade for all who come to the temple.

The temple inside is also a venue for some unique sights, one among them is the presence of a Nandi along the temple. It is believed that the Nandi who is the carrier of news still does the same for the devotees & its long ears are for all to converse with the lord. This temple  is also a place which addresses  the question why goddess Lakshmi accompanies Lord Vishnu in all temples standing to his left. It is believed that the elephant god Ganapati was a big devotee of Lord Vishnu  & everyday he would worship the lord with lotus flowers, but one day he was surprised to see that some other person had placed the lotus flowers before him. When he enquired with Lord Vishnu, with a graceful smile He said that the flowers were placed by Goddess Lakshmi. Lord  Ganapathy is said to have been in a  state of sorrow &  seeing this Lord Vishnu made Goddess  sit next to him for eternity so that Gajendra or Ganesha can continue to bring the flowers. This  legend is quite unique & so one can find a  large idol of Ganapathy at the temple, not as a sub shrine but more as a dwarapalaka. The temple thus is a place of many unheard folktales & legends.

The temple even today is under the titular control of the Zamorin who still presides over the festivals at the temple & this recognition to the king is based on the story of Mamankan. After the departure of Cheraman Perumal, this place which is called Nila was with the Valluvaad Konathiri & Vettath Rajas who ruled these parts. The king started the once in 12 years grand festival called Mahamaham in the 8th century. It was in the 12th century that Zamorin took over the reins & became the Karyakaran  of the Mamankam. Though the Mamankan stopped in the 17th century after the arrival of the Europeans, the Zamorin continued to preside over the rituals & continues to do so till date. The Mamankam which later became a place of many interesting incidents was witnessed by most people from the Thirunavaya    temple banks.

The temple has been a place for many stories & its reverence has only grown over centuries. It is important for all to visit the temple, its groves & of course the banks to realise the divinity of this place.