Information of Karikkakom Chamundi Devi Temple, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala

Karikkakom Devi Temple is an ancient Hindu goddess temple listed in the chain of famous temple in Trivandrum. This ancient temple is known from the past 600 years and is a standing shrine for devotion, culture and religion. This temple is open throughout the year and daily rituals and special ceremonies are celebrated to its devotees. This is a temple for the Keralite women hood mainly and the Pongal festival is the main important festival where thousands of women makes the sweet Pongal and distribute to its pilgrims. It is a beautiful temple to see in the lush palm groves in the gods own country. This is a divine temple located at Karikkakom Taluk, Thiruvananthapuram District of Kerala State in India.

Karikkakom Chamundi Devi Temple Religious Significance

Karikkakom Devi Temple is locally known as the Sri Chamundi Devi Kshetram or Karikoath Amma. Sri Chamundi is a fierce goddess of epidemics, disaster and famines. She is worshiped here to safe guard this village. Sri Chamundi is worshiped in this temple is 3 forms. The 1st form is of Maha Chamundi which is her normal womanly form and is seen as normal hands holding with trident and sword. She is kept in the main central shrine and primary worship is done by its devotees here. The 2nd form is called Rektha Chamundi which is a fierce mural on the back wall of this temple, which is placed in the adjacent side of the main temple. Here devotees usually come here and pray for any disease to get cure, seek any judgment or want to punish any evil doing. The Bala Chamundi is her 3rd form and is the young goddess and loved by children's. Here many toys and cradles are placed by childless couples and is also the goddess of young children's. Here small children's are allowed to place toys in her cell shrine.

Karikkakom Chamundi Devi Temple Mythology & History

In this ancient times the Rektha Chamundi shrine was used as a god witness place by its local villager to do any ceremonies or to find out the truth. This goddess was seen as the judgment provider for the evils doers by its villagers. Here any such wrong doers brought in front of this fierce goddess, the wrong doers will tell the truth, since the goddess will punish him if he lied in front of here. Still this belief is going on by its villagers and come here to get justice.

Karikkakom Chamundi Devi Temple Architectural Significance

Karikkakom Devi Temple is an ancient temple built in the Dravidian architectural form. The main temple is a tiered tower with many miniature works on it with colorful paintings. On the adjacent sides there are the temple complexes of Rektha Chamundi which is having a mural of her on the shrine cell wall and is very fiery to look. The Bala Chamundi is a small size idol carved out of single stone and looks beautiful. The entry to the temple is welcomed by a huge arch. Currently many Kerala type structures are found with in temple premises to cater the pilgrims need such a sheltered porch and other ceremonial complexes are seen. It has got an aquatic temple pond just outside this temple and is known as the Nagara Kavu, which is always seen in the midst of lush green vegetations and olden trees.

Festival at Karikkakom Chamundi Devi Temple

There are 10 festival conducted here annually according to Malayalam calendar. But the main temple festival which attracts thousands of devotees is the Pongal festival. This festival is conducted in between March and April month. This is participated mainly by the women hood. They use to make Pongal, which is a sweet dish made out of rice, jaggery, coconut and milk. The Pongal material is usually the first harvest produce after the North East retreading monsoon in Kerala. They cook this Pongal in and around this temple premises and appease this goddess to bless them with more fertile season years to come. Apart from Pongal the Karthika Pooja festival and Vishu are also celebrated here grandly. In fact whatever festival is celebrate here, it is done with utmost importance and keeping in mind all the religious values.