Mammiyoor Mahadeva Temple-A Glimpse Into The Past To Awaken In The Present

Faith Mysticism

oi-Staff

By Staff

Friday, June 19, 2009, 10:06

For the one who adores the One,
With the crescent moon on the matted locks that cascade the back,
Competing with the Ganges that flow flourished.
Half closed eyes as delicate as lotus petals,
Serenity that splays across the effulgent face,
As lips curve a little into a smile,
Seated with triumphant majesty on the tiger skin in meditation,
Is a sure sight within closed eyes,
Though to behold Him as a Linga in Mammiyoor Mahadeva temple.

An unknown feeling of familiarity grips the heart, perhaps from a past that cannot be peeped but comes alive to present the golden present.

The Legend

The temples of Guruvayoor and Mammiyoor have an inter connected legend. The idol of Sri Krishna of Guruvayoor temple first adorned a big temple in Dwaraka installed none other than by Lord Krishna Himself in the Dwapara Yuga. During Swargarohana, Lord Krishna handed over the idol to Udhava to have it installed in a scared place with the help of Guru (Brihaspati, the guru of the Devas) and Vayu (the Wind God). In accordance with Sri Krishna's instructions, they came upon a scared place where Lord Shiva was steeped in meditation for ages. Lord Shiva, knowing the mission of Guru and Vayu moved a kilometer away to Mammiyoor there by allowing the Sri Krishna idol to be installed in the sacred place which henceforth came to be known as Guruvayoor. It is a belief that a pilgrimage to Guruvayoor would not be complete without having worshiped Mammiyoor Mahadeva.

As per another version of the legend, Lord Krishna in the form of Bala Krishna ( Baby Krishna) was floating on a banyan leaf on the giant waves caused during Pralaya or cosmic dissolution in Dwapara Yuga. Guru and Vayu stumbled over Him, who gave them the idol that He Himself worshipped to be installed in a sacred place. Guru and Vayu found Lord Shiva immersed in penance for ages at a sacred spot. Lord Shiva moved to Mammiyoor allowing the idol to be installed there.

About the temple

The whistle of the breeze gently brushes against the ears when one makes his way on the stony pathway around the temple in circumambulation, before eager eyes assuages the eager heart's yearning to behold the Lord. A surmounting calmness envelops one as one makes way to the frontal portion of the temple that stretches horizontally to the entrance of the shrine. A small door is the only seeming partition for a mad heart drunk with devotion to cross over to get a glimpse of the heart's beholder.

A devotee who desires his Lord in the splendour of His beauty, Mahadeva in Mammiyoor presents a glorious sight with facial features of decoration made distinct on the face of the Linga with the crescent moon adorning His head. During Abishekam, He is in His usual form of a plain Shiva Linga for a devotee who seeks to see Him as the profound, bare truth. Its purely a sight that seeks to devour a seeker in His natural state of formlessness.

Mammiyoor Mahadeva temple awakens a one pointed devotion that drips with love for Shiva and Shiva alone. It is customary to seek Mother Parvati, after having offered prayers to Lord Shiva. One finds a picture of the mother with eyes with a downward glance, overcome with coyness that seeks in vain to cover the anticipated eagerness to behold Her Lord, with hands holding a garland. The picture is found right behind the sanctum of Lord Shiva.

The inner precinct is adorned by temples for Ganapati, Aiyappa, and Lord Vishnu along with the main deity, Mahadeva (Lord Shiva). The outer precinct has a small temple, perhaps for a guarding devata. There is also a temple dedicated to Bhagavati and Nagar. A huge temple tank is also found in the temple premises.

All worship types dedicated to Lord Shiva is being offered to the deity, Mahadeva.

Mammiyoor is located at about 1Km from Guruvayoor enroute to Punnathurkotta near Kottapadi in the Trissur district of Kerala.

As time ticks off for one to leave the temple, an inexplicable feeling, intermingled with a strong emotion of love and devotion and pangs of separation seizes one. Yet His true nature being the very existence of oneself, the realization of which, swallows the seeming separation..