Story of Mannarasala

 

The origin of the land of Kerala is a famous lore which is taken from mythology as a place that was pulled out from sea by Parasurama. The events that happened after the creation of this beautiful land is related to the Mannarasala Temple which in many ways is the oldest temple in Kerala. The story of its origin is not just based on myths, legends, folklore but also on strong beliefs & is still followed by people all around. The temple which is dedicated to the King of serpents Nagaraj has many unique dispositions which is important for all to know & revere.

The temple is a Kavu which is not difficult to realise as the area is surrounded by dense vegetation, one which is a grove for the snakes & it has stayed so from the time of its origin. The groves themselves are sacred as they have been witness to many divine events. Tucked inside the grove is the temple of Nagaraj where he is on a pedestal along with his wife Sarpayakshi. Parasurama killed countless Kshatriya Kings in a vow to cleanse the land but when the world became devoid of warriors he realised his sin & approached the sages for forgiveness. The sages are said to have asked him to please the Brahmins by giving them land which was untouched by any human. Parasurama is said to have prayed to the God of Sea, Varuna, to provide such land. Varuna could not anger the son of Jamadgni & asked Parasurama to throw his axe to claim the land from sea. As per instruction, Parasurama threw the holy parasu into the sea & the water receeded to create the land of Kerala. The origin of Kerala is a known story but the events after is of importance too.

It so happened that the land reclaimed by Parasurama was saline & it could not sustain any vegetation which made it difficult for people to live. The Brahmins also were unable to continue in the land as it was infested with reptiles & many families left. The Brahmin family who resided in a land covered with Mandara trees stayed back & prayed to Parasurama who was meditating in the Mahendra mountains. Parasurama asked Lord Shiva for help who suggested cleansing of the land with the flaming venom of the serpents which could be achieved with the approval of the king of serpents, Nagaraj. Parasurama needed to find a land close to the sea which was deserted & with his disciples set out to find such a place which he finally found and built a theerthasthala where he conducted the penance. Nagaraj appeared before the great warrior as a manifestation of the holy Trinity and it was indeed a divine sight for Parasurama who saw the serpent king in his most majestic form with gold ornaments & emerald stones on the hood. Parasurama is said to have prostrated at the lotus feet of Nagaraj requesting him to cleanse the land. Nagaraj obliged to this and called upon the most venomous serpents from the underworld and around to fill the area with the most potent kalakuta poison. The whole land flamed with the poison making it fertile. It was necessary to pay obeisance to Nagaraj for having made the land habitable and so Parasurama consecrated the idol of Nagaraj & Vasuki at the Theerthasthala for all to worship. The land was called Mandarashala due to the presence of the Mandara trees which now is known as Mannarshala & the Brahmins who stayed back were given the rights to perform the rituals at the temple. Parasurama, convinced that the land will be the most habitable, retired to his meditation back at the Mahendra mountains. The Brahmin family continued to live here as Kerala was inhabited by people from different parts due to its vast green pastures, fertile land & availability of natural resources. Many centuries passed and the temple became a grove for serpents who made the land their home. A Brahmin couple lived around the groves by the name of Vasudevan & Sreedevi who were childless. The lady was good at heart & cared for all around her home which also included the creatures who lived in the groves by serving food daily. It so happened that the whole lands next to the grove caught fire and many serpents died while others survived with burns which made their life miserable. The only place they found shelter was with the Brahmin lady in the house who took care of all by applying a mixture of turmeric, honey and butter soothing the skin of the serpents. The care given by the couple to the serpents was selfless & one which impressed Nagaraj as no other soul came forward to tend to them. When Nagaraj appeared before the couple to ask why they cared for the serpents, Sreedevi with a smile said, she looked upon them not just as serpents but her child as she knew the sorrow of being childless. The gesture of selfless care made Nagaraj give the couple a boon wherein he promised to be born as their child. Sreedevi soon gave birth to two children, one was Nagaraj born as a 5 hooded snake while the other was a human boy. The two boys had great love for one another and played together, learnt the scriptures until they both achieved adulthood. Nagaraj had fulfilled his destiny of being born to Sreedevi & so asked his brother to continue the lineage by entering into matrimony. Nagaraj on the other hand is said to have resigned to yogic form inside the cellar of the illam or house of the mother promising her to remain there till eternity for all to pray. He also appraised the mother about different rituals to be conducted on a daily basis & asked the same to be carried on to the next generation. Thus the tradition of Valliamma at Mannarasala is followed even today where the eldest female member of the family assumes the position of valiamma and conducts all the rituals at the illam. It is important to come to the temple & pray to the deity along with catching a glimpse of Valiamma and getting blessed by her. The temple thus has a unique distinction of being the only temple where the rituals are conducted by a Brahmin lady. 

The temple apart from its unique traditions is also known for some of the most intriguing beliefs. It is believed that the temple is still the groves of serpents & one can find snakes around which are divine. It is also the place where one can find over 30000 idols of serpents, something not found anywhere. The grove is also a place for devotees to pray for forgiveness if they killed any snake accidently. The turmeric paste one receives from the temple is considered pious as it is a belief that the paste is the same which was applied by the first Valiamma on the serpents when their grove was engulfed in fire. The temple is also a place to pray for fertility in life, so it is quite common to see childless couples come to the temple to pray. In order to attain fertility a small bell metal vessel called Uruli is placed upside down and the ritual is called urulikamazhthal whereby the couple’s pray to Nagaraj in a hope that when the vessel tilts, it is a sign of fertility. It is also important to know that one has to return to the temple after their wish for a child is fulfilled for betterment of the child’s life. This belief comes from the legend of Sreedevi being blessed by the serpent king for her selfless love. Inside the temple grounds, one can find a small grove called Appooppan Kavu which is believed to be the place where Nagaraj wandered while at the illam. According to legends, the serpent king was called Apoopan (grandfather) by the members of the illam.

The temple groves are spread over 15 acres and have sanctums for different deities based on various beliefs. The two consorts of Nagaraja, Sarpayakshi & Nagayakshi are present in different sanctums. The temple is built in a simple Kerala architecture style which resembles the charm of a Kavu. The illam or house of Valiamma is an ancestral house and is a functioning house even today where the members of the family reside. Every morning Valiamma grants her presence to her devotees who speak to her regarding their difficulties. The temple celebrates the festival of Mannarasala Ayilyam which is when all the idols of the serpents in the grove are taken for a cleansing inside the illam by pouring rice flour & milk (nurum palum) which is conducted by the valiamma. It is also the time when the matriarch of the illam carries the idol of Nagaraja on a procession outside the illam. The festival is one of the oldest in these parts & is conducted with a lot of festivities.

The Mannarasala temple more than a place of reverence should be seen as a divine grove by all who come here as it is a place which existed from the time of creation of Kerala. Though there are many other temples where the serpents are worshipped with a lot of affection, this temple is in many ways the land of Nagaraj and is a place blessed by him for eternity.