Padanilam Parabrahma Temple

Nooranad Padanilam Parabrahma Temple
Nooranad Padanilam Parabrahma Temple Location in Kerala
Name
Proper name	Padanilam Parabrahma Temple
Devanagari	पड़निलम परब्रह्म मंदिर
Tamil	படநிலம் பரப்ரம்மா டெம்ப்ளே
Malayalam	പടനിലം പരബ്രഹ്മ ക്ഷേത്രം
Geography
Coordinates
Country	India
State	Kerala
District	Alappuzha
Location	Padanilam, Nooranad
Culture
Primary deity	Parabrahma
Important festivals	Mahashivarathri vrischika mahotsavam Irupathiyettamonam Mandala chirappu para ezhunnallath
History and governance
Website	www.padanilamtemple.org

Padanilam Parabrahma Temple (പടനിലം പരബ്രഹ്മ ക്ഷേത്രം ) is situated at Padanilam, Alappuzha district of Kerala, India. It is one of the major temples in erstwhile Travancore state. The temple is situated 17 km east of Kayamkulam and 16 km south east of Mavelikkara. The temple is dedicated to Lord Parabrahma ,also known as omkaram.

File:Palamel kara nandikeshan.jpg

nandikeshan of Palamel kara

History

Padanilam Temple is believed to be swayambhu.The Temple and its surroundings witnessed many historical wars. Once there was a war between the south and the north. During the war, soldiers from both sides died in large numbers. They were buried in the chira near the temple.Nobody know the exact history of the temple and how it was formed. Even from very earliest times, this temple was a blessing for the people in the surrounding areas.

Padanilam Shivaratri

Decorated head of a Kettukala

Sivarathri is the main festival in the temple. Thousands come to the temple on that day to see the kaavadiyattam for Lord Subrahmanyan in the morning. Kaavady from all parts of the area come separately and meet at the temple. On that evening there is a kettulsavam, which is the most spectacular sight of the festival. Kettulsavam from 13 distinct areas of the village come to the temple at around 4 p.m. The rituals and programmes only end at midnight.

Temple Specialities

• The temple has no protective walls or roofs
• The priests are non-brahmins.
• The temple neither opens nor closes.The rituals like Nada thurappu(opening of the temple in the dawn) and Nada adakkal(closing of the temple during night) is not there in this temple.
• Non-Hindus are permitted to enter the temple and can even take part in all the celebrations related to temple including Shivarathri kettukazhcha.Religious unity is a trademark of Padanilam and it upholds the real culture of India.
• Bhasma(holy ash) is given to devotees instead of Sandalwood paste.
• There is no proper idol in the temple.Only a stone image of OM and is placed under natural roof formed by tree leaves.
• Devotees can stay in the temple compound for the first 12 days of the month vrischikam for doing bhajan for Lord Parabrahman.For this purpose special huts are made in temple premise and devotees lead a holy life these days.The number of huts are increasing year by year.
• The temple is one of the Idathaavalam of Sabarimala Dharma Sastha Temple.The temple provides resting place for Ayyappa devotees coming from various places.Lots of Pamba special service buses are passing through Padanilam.Temple authority is providing dried ginger coffee and light food for Sabarimala devotees.

Other festivals

Lakshadeepam at the temple during mandala chirapp

Other festivals in the temple include:

• Vrischika mahotsavam
• Irupathiyettamonam
• Mandala Chirappu
• Sapthaha yajnam etc.

Lots of marriages are also conducted in this temple.Marriage in this temple is considered as very auspicious by natives.

How to reach

There are both private and KSRTC buses from the towns of Kayamkulam and Pandalam. There are buses from Pandalam, Kayamkulam, Pathanamthitta, Konni, Mavelikkara, Oachira, Karunagapally, etc. passing through Padanilam. Padanilam is situated on the Kayamkulam-Edappon-Pandalam-Pathanamthitta bus route.

External links

• Official temple website