Rajarajeshwara Temple

The Rajarajeswara temple is a Shiva temple located at Taliparamba in the Kannur district of Kerala, South India.

The temple is regarded as one of the existing 108 ancient Shiva Temples of Kerala. It also has a prominent place amongst the numerous Shiva temples in South India.It had the tallest shikhara amongst the temples of its time. The Rajarajeshwara temple has a top of about 90 tonnes. If any problem is encountered in the other temples of South India, the devotees seek a solution in this Temple through a prasna, a traditional method of astrological decision making. The prasna is conducted on a peedha (a raised platform) situated outside the temple.

This temple was built in the early eleventh century.It was supposedly renovated by Sage Parashurama long before the Kali Yuga commenced. Several centuries ago it was renovated by the Mushika (Kolathiri) Dynasty Kings. The quadrangular sanctum has a two tiered pyramidal roof, in front of the sanctum is the namaskara mandapam but the temple has no kodi maram (flagstaff), unlike other temples in Kerala

Legend of Rajarajeswara Temple

The temple at Taliparamba is among the 108 ancient Kerala temples dedicated to Siva. It is as famous as the Siva temples at Vaikom, Ettumanur and Vadakkunnathan temple at Trichur.

Taliparamba is regarded as one of the ancient Shakti Peethams. Legend has it that the head of Sati fell here after Shiva's tandavam following Sati's self-immolation.

The Shiva Linga here is believed to be several thousands of years old. Legend has it that Siva gave three sacred Siva Lingas to Parvati for worship. Once sage, Maandhata, propitiated Lord Siva with intense prayers. Siva was so pleased

that he presented one of the Siva Lingas to him with the injunction that it should be installed only at a place where there was no cremation ground. The sage, after searching all over, found Taliparamba the most sacred spot where he installed the Linga.

After his death the Linga however disappeared into the earth. Then his son Muchukunda offered similar prayers to Siva and got a second Linga, which too disappeared in course of time. Centuries passed. The third Shiva Linga was handed down to Satasoman, a king of Mushaka (Kolathunad) dynasty who then ruled the region. He was an ardent devotee of Siva. On the advice of sage Agastya he prayed to Lord Siva who granted him the Shiva Linga. The king installed it in the present temple built by him.

It is believed that Sri Rama during his victorious return from Lanka stopped here to offer worship to Lord Shiva. In honor of His presence, devotees are not allowed into the namaskara mandapam even today.

Lord Shiva worshipped in this sacred temple is known as Sree Rajarajeswara, which means the Emperor of Emperors the Lord Supreme. The name signifies the supreme transcendental power in the background of mysterious drama of the boundless universe. That power is invoked here as Lord Rajarajeshwara. Devotees address the lord with such royal appellations as Perumthrikovilappan, Perum-chelloorappan and Thampuraan Perumthrikkovilappan.

The Jyothirlingam in the shrine in vibrant with spiritual power that exerts an enriching influence both on the material and spiritual levels of the earnest devotees. The celebrated ancient sage Agasthya Maharishi is associated with the installation of the Jyothirlingam in the shrine.

The legends of temple are usually symbolic in character and are intended to convey deep messages to the spiritual inquirer and instill faith in the common man. The legends of Sri Rajarajeshwara Temple reveal the antiquity and the special significance of the Spiritual Presence.

A major legend about this temple begins with the visit of the Puranic sage Parashurama, one of the incarnations of Lord Vishnu. Seeing there an ancient shrine of vibrant spiritual power in a dilapidated condition, the sage was grief-stricken and wanted to know its history. Thereupon, sage Narada appeared there and related to him the story of the temple. According to it, sage Sanaka and others, the sons of the creator Lord Brahma, churned the disk of the Sun to lessen its fierce heat. They mied the dust, which was formed while churning, with the divine nectar of immortality, Amrita, and out of it gave shape to three spiritually to Lord Brahma presented them to Goddess Parvathi, the consort of Lord Shiva.

Goddess Parvathi presented these Shivalingams to three kings who were doing intense austerities to invoke the Goddess, one in the Thretha Yugam and the other two Dwapara Yugam. Maandhatha was the king to whom the Goddess presented the Shivalingam in the Thretha Yugam, and Muchukundam and Shathasoman were the devotees who received the other two lingams in Dwapara Yugam. Goddess Parvathi advised each of them to install the idols in such a place where no death of any creature had taken place or any dead body had fallen.

After a long search for such a place, which was very difficult to locate, Maandhatha, the first one to receive the lingam found out a small place for that description, only that much land which could accommodate a small plate. Thalika in Malayalam means a plate. It is said that the region came to been know as Taliparamba, which means the place enough to accommodate a Thalika after this legend. Maandhatha installed his Shivalingam at this place.

Eventually this Jyothirlingam disappeared in the earth, maintaining the place spiritually vibrant for ever. Thretha Yugam was over. Then, in Dwapara Yugam, King Muchukundan after receiving the second Jyothirlingam from Goddess Parvathi as instructed, was also in search for a spot where no death had taken place naturally he also came to the same spot where Maandhatha had installed the first Shivalingam. He installed his Shivalingam at the same spot. This Shivalingam was also eventually dissolved into the earth again reinforcing the spot spiritually. Then

came king Shathasoman, the one who received the third Shivalingam. He was also naturally attracted to the same spot and installed his Shivalingam there. While installing, this Lingam also began sinking into the earth. King Shathasoman there upon prayed for Sage Agasthya’s help. The sage appeared and after lighting a ghee lamp prostrated before the Shivalingam twelve times and when he begun the thirteenth prostration, the Lingam got firmly fixed on the earth therefore the number of prostration the Sage Agasthya performed for his purpose came to be know as twelve and a half. Thus with the installation of the third Shivalingam has sacred spot became spiritually vibrant threefold.

Hearing this story from sage Narda, devotion welled up in the heart of sage Parashurama and he decided to renovate the temple for the welfare of mankind.

As desired by the sage, the celestial architect sri vishwakarma himself performed the renovation works. During the final stage of the renovation, sage Agasthya himself appeared on the scene and after making abhishekam (ablusion) on the idol lighted a ghee lamp. This lamp shine continuously ever since, with the regular supply of ghee. Offering of ghee in gold, silver and copper pitchers with intense devotion is an important offering for the lord.

Temple legends, as said earlier, are highly symbolic representations of the subtle spiritual principles and highlight the nature and intensity of the spiritual presence at a particular place. They instill devotion and convey their deeper message to the spiritual seeker. The above-mentioned legend highlights the fact that at this unique centre of spiritual power discovered and maintained by the great sages of yore, one can receive profound Divine grace both for the material progress and spiritual un-foldment

Religious customs and rites

The place is considered as most sacred for performing Koodiyattam and Chakyar Koothu. Whenever a new Koodiyattam is being directed, it is first performed at this temple. Only the "Mani (Māni)” family of Chakyars solely possesses the right

of performing Koodiyattam here. Legendary Koodiyattam & Chakyar koothu maestro, Nātyāchārya Vidūshakaratnam Padma Shri Māni Mādhava Chākyār had performed here for many decades. The title "Vidūshakaratnam" was awarded to him from this temple.

One of the greatest appreciation or award that an artist/scholar can get is the "Veerashringhala" (Vīrasringhala)- Golden Bracelet, from the temple, given by the unanimous approval of the scholar body of the temple. Guru Mani Madhava Chakyar is the youngest and last person to get the Vīrasringhala from here. Ghee in small pots are offered to the presiding deity Shiva and are placed on steps leading to the sanctum. These are called Neyyamrithu in Malayalam language. Men are allowed to enter the shrine at any time, but woman are allowed only after 8 PM.

Though it is not practised as widely as it was in the earlier days, it is still a religious custom among many local Hindu women to visit three prominent temples in Taliparamba when they are pregnant. Apart from Rajarajeshwara temple, the other two temples are Sri Krishna at Trichambaram and another Shiva temple, Kanjirangad Sri Vaidyanatha Kshetram, in Kanjirangad, about 6 km from Taliparamba. It is believed that Shiva at Rajarajeshwara temple assures the child a high status, Sri Krishna of Trichambaram bestows it with good nature and mental qualities and the deity at Kanjirangad temple gives the child long life.