Chottanikkara Bhagavathy Temple, Kochi

This temple is located at Chotanikkara in Kochi in the southern state of Kerala, India and is one of the most popular temples in the state. Chotanikara Devi Temple which is a famous temple of Bhagwati is a form of Mahalakshmi. In terms of temple architecture, the Chhotanikkara temple is the final testimony to the ancient Vishwakarma architecture along with the Sabarimala temple.

Standing as a classic example of wooden architecture and sculpture, this temple complex is also the largest in the state. The temple was built by the architect Bhagwan Vishwakarma himself.

1. This temple is a famous temple of Hindu Goddess Bhagavathi and it is located at Chottanikkara near Ernakulam in the southern Indian state of Kerala.
2. Bhagawati is one of the most popular deities in the area and Chottanikkara Devi is worshipped at the temple, in three different forms as Saraswathi in the morning, draped in white, as Lakshmi at noon, draped in crimson and as Durga in the evening, decked in blue.
3. Lord Shiva is also worshiped at the temple and the people suffering from mental illnesses commonly visit the temple, as Bhagawati is thought to cure her devotees.
4. One should not miss the 'Guruthi Pooja' in the 'Keezhkkaavu' temple at Chottanikkara and this is a ritual done at late evening to invoke the goddess and earlier 'Guruthi Pooja' was done only on Fridays. But nowadays, it is performed every day.
5. The area in which the temple is situated was once a dense forest that was believed to be infested by Yakshis and rakshasas.
6. The temple is known for curing mental illness and diseases due to evil spirits where the patients are brought to the priest, who engages with them in some conversation. He nails a part of the hair of the patient in the temple tree, indicating that evil spirit is captured in the tree and the patients are cured off their illness.
7. Neem leaves, lime and chilies are taken home from the temple, which are believed to ward off evil spirits.

📅 Last update: 2024-06-24 || ✍ Author: Sandhya Chauhan

Meet Sandhya, exploring India with curiosity and wonder. She shares info and tips in simple language, inviting you to join the journey. She is graduated in tourism and writes about the places of India.