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 The
chorus chants of 'Amme Narayana, Devi Narayana' and 'Lakshmi
Narayana' rent the air throughout the day. Devotees throng the
temple to have a rendezvous with the Goddess who is believed to cure
people who are mentally not all right. This shrine is none other
than the famous Chottanikara Bhagavathy Temple in Kerala.
Nestled in the lap of luxurious growth in the
God's Own Country, Kerala, Chottanikara is situated near Ernakulam.
Let us catch a glimpse of its spiritual history.
A sage, Bhilwamangala, consecrated the presiding
deity Bhagavathy here. She gave darshan to the sage on Masi Maham
long ago and to commemorate this event devotees observe the day with
fervour every year.
Bhagavathy is a celestial doctor who cures patients
afflicted with mental illness. We can see many patients, who are
mentally unsound, shaking their body with hair let loose in front of
the sanctum sanctorum of the presiding deity and after some time
they gradually settle down and come back to normalcy.
There is a strange practice here where a small
iron nail is hammered to a nearby palai tree. It is believed that by
doing this the Goddess will cure the patients of their mental
illness.
The temple complex is sprawling place with
Bhadrakali, Ganapathy, Sastha, Shiva, Rajarajeswari, Naga Devatha,
Yakshi and Sage Bhilwamangala consecrated in the precincts.
 Yakshi,
a devil, threatened to kill a Nambhoodri in Chottanikarai but
Bhagavathy saved him at the right moment. Since the Yakshi was
responsible for the appearance of the Goddess, this icon also finds
a place inside the temple.
Bhagavathy faces east and is swayambhu - self
manifest. She has four hands sporting chanku, charka, abhaya hastha
and vara hastham. She poses as Saraswathi in the mornings, as
Bhadrakali at midday and as Durga in the evenings. She is also
worshipped as Rajarajeswari. Mahavishnu is consecrated to her right.
People who are mentally ill can stay in the
temple cottages and worship the Goddess till they get cured. This
mode of worship is called bhajanam.
Turmeric, limestone powder and jaggery water is
distributed as prasadam. Married women pray for the longevity of
their husbands. People who suffer from the bad effects of black
magic are also cured by worshipping this deity.
There are plenty of hotels in Chottanikara which
is 20 km from Ernakulam.
Usha Raja
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