There is a village where people, irrespective of caste, creed and religion worship ‘Lord Muruga’.Elankunnapuzha in Vypeen Island, about ten kms away from the Ernakulam city is famous for the ancient temple, Sree Subramanya Swamy Temple.It is also famous for its ancient mural paintings and wooden sculptures.The temple is also significant as it has been witness to several key historical events.The temple is more than nine centuries old.According to legend, the extremely beautiful mansize idol of this temple belonged to the famous Thiruchendur Temple renowned as one of the ‘Arupadai Veedukal’ of Tamil Nadu.The slightly damaged idol of that temple was dumped in the ocean nearly nine hundred years ago and a new (the present one) idol was installed.But by some divine miracle the damaged and dumped idol floated in the ocean, marooned itself near Elankunnapuzha.Astrologers found that the idol still possessed some degree of chaithanya (divinity), the idol being consecrated by Sree SanalKumara Maharshi (who was supposed to be an incarnation of Lord Subramanya).The chaithanya could not be fully withdrawn and transferred to the new Idol at Thiruchendur.The idol was then installed in the ancestral house of a local Nair family, and the present temple was constructed in due course.Thus this temple came to know as ‘Malayala Thirichendur’.This temple has its own rituals and beliefs which make it unique.The idol is in the form of ‘chathurbahu’ and the upper part of the idol is in stone and the lower part is in ‘panchaloham’ (a term for traditional five-metal alloys of sacred significance).“Elankunnapuzha Subramanya Swamy temple is the manifestation of an ideal temple.Historically the temple commands great importance since the administration was controlled by local committee named ‘Saketham’.In ‘Saketham’ the prime importance was given to laymen.Even the ruling King didn’t had any powers, he only got its right as a protector,” informed Bhagavata Acharyan Sri.Elankunnapuzha Damodara Sharma.The temple also arrests attention with its beautiful ancient mural paintings.The walls of temple are adorned with several mural paintings using the natural leaf extract paints.There are nearly hundreds of mural paintings depicting various aspects of Hindu culture, heritage and epics.One of those paintings that holds your attention is the ‘Anandashayanam’ in front of the temple.Many places in Vypeen Island have been named after the legend of Lord Muruga.The idol which was dumped in the ocean floated upside down and reached a place in a village called ‘Elakunna puzha’ and later Elankunnapuzha.The temple is also a platform to promote temple arts.Kathakali, Ottanthullal and Kurathyattom are conducted in every festival and Chakiyarkoothu is performed in first ten days of Makaram,the Malayalam month.Considering its many features, the State Government has included Sree Subramanya Swami temple as part of the ‘Heritage Pilgrim Tourism Center.’ Lord Muruga is known as the protector of the whole village.
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