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The
Sreekovil opens at 4.30 am every day for the morning pooja. The
Sreekovil closes after the morning pooja at 10.00 am. It opens again
at 5.00 pm, and after Athazha pooja, it closes by 7.30 pm. During
Pradosham days (evening of the 13th phase of the moon, 90 minutes
before and after sunset) it is considered auspicious for worshipping
Siva in all Saivite temples and then thousands congregate for worship
and the door of the Sreekovil opens by 5.00 pm for special poojas
too.
The
temple celebrates an eight-day festival during the month of Kumbha,
Thiruvathira nakshathram. The festival includes Arattu, a kind of
holy bath given to the festival images of the deities, when they
are immersed in water on the final day of the annual festival.
Important
information regarding temple opening (Goddess Parvathi's Sreekovil)
 As
the first step, the Brahmins of 3 Manas come together and appoint
a Samudayi. This goes through a process. The Uranmakkar take a banana
leaf and place it on the Mandapam. On the top of it, a bushel and
a bunch of keys are put and they prostrate by touching it. Soon
the Samudayi follows suit. This indicates the Manas are granting
the Samudayam rice and money to carry out all the rituals of the
temple strictly in accordance with the principles. When the Samudayam
prostrates in front of the Mandapam where the banana leaf, a bushel
and a bunch of keys are kept, it would mean that he has accepted
the conditions and is fully responsible.
When
the time comes for the opening of the Sreekovil, the Brahmins of
the three Manas, the Samudayam, and the Pshpini (the story of pushpini
is later explained in detai) stand before the Sreekovil. The Pushpini
will have Akshatham, Pookila, Deepam (oil - lamp) kept in a Thalam
(plate). Soon, when the Goddess is fully dressed and ready to see
the public, the Pushpini asks the Samudayi, "Guardian of the temple,
have the three manas come?" She repeats this three times and the
Samudayi says 'yes' each time. Then the Pushpini says, "Can I allow
the Sreekovil to be opened?" She repeats this three times and the
Samudayi says 'yes' each time. Now the Pushpini tells the Thantri
to open the Sreekovil.
And
to the delight of thousands of devotees Devi Jagathambika in her
gaudy attire becomes visible to the vast gathering around. My dear
readers, devotees, friends I leave this point to your imagination
to assume the millions chanting the most powerful mantra 'Amma'
in unison. From today, for the next 12 days Devi Bhagavathi comes
alive in the hearts and minds of the people and blesses them.
Soon
after this, Devi Parvathi is accompanied to the music hall. She
is made to sit on a small wooden square bench and after Naivedyam,
the Pushpini sings eulogizing the Goddess all through the night.
Early next morning, the Goddess is accompanied back to the Sreekovil.
After the Naivedyam Pooja, the Goddess is accompanied to the music
hall. At night she is taken back to the Sreekovil. This is carried
on for the next 12 days.
Closure
of Sreekovil :
After
the 12 days, before the closure of the Sreekovil, there is a ceremony.
Before Lord Mahadeva's Athazhapooja, the Brahmins of the three manas,
their wives, the Pushpini and Saudayi stand before the Sreeovil.
When the Tanthri is ready the pushpini asks the Samudayi, "Has everyone
seen the Goddess?" and the Samudayi says "yes." Now the Pushpini
asks, "Can I allow the Sreekovil to be closed?" She repeats this
three times and the Samudayi says "yes" all the three times. Thereupon
the Pushpini tells the Tanthri to close the Sreekovil. The moment
the Tanthri closes the Sreekovil, everyone including the Pushpini
gets away. From this day, the Sreekovil opens only the next year
during the Thiruvathira nakshathram.
It
can be said that no temple in Kerala has such a good and splendid
ceremony. Even during the festival, the same ritual is carried out.
However, instead of the Pushpini, it would be the Marar (a person
who invokes the deity with his drums when the Sreekovil is closed).
There
is another ritual of vital importance in the temple. Before the
opening of the Sreekovil of Devi Parvathi, the ornaments to be worn
by the Goddess are carried from the Akavoor Mana in a colorful procession.
People from different quarters of the state, the devotees and the
members of the Mana join the procession. It has been said that all
those women carrying the Thalam (platter) and showering flowers
as the procession moves on will be blessed by the Goddess with happy
marriage.
An
Incident that occurred to Pushpini:
Pushpini
is a female who is associated with the opening of the temple. There
is a particular family of Pushpinis. It is the Pushpini who allows
the opening of Sreekovil. It can be opened only in her presence
and so it is inevitable. The legend has it that the Pushpini was
a great friend of Goddess Parvathi and that the Goddess had ordered
that the Sreekovil should be opened only by the Pushpini. This practice
is still going on. Nevertheless, a problem arose 15 years ago. One
of the Pushpinis who had grown old was unable to attend this ceremony.
The young Pushpini who was married and settled seemed to be unwilling
to attend the function for the old one. Inspite of repeated requests
she would not agree to come. The temple authorities hired another
woman as Pushpini and she performed the ritual.
Five
years ago, the Pushpini who was unwilling to come had a serious
problem. Her husband fell ill and the doctors who attended on him
gave him over. He was dying and one night, the Pushpini had a dream.
A young woman came to her bedside and said, "You forsook me, didn't
you? It was not for your good, however. If you take care of me I
will make you happy." The Pushpini knew the message was from none
other than the Goddess. She apologized and started learning all
the details of the Pooja. Before long her husband was found recovering
and they came back to prosperity.
They
have numerous incidents to narrate to those devotees when they come
to Lord Mahadeva and Devi Parvathi. All of the devotees say that
Lord Mahadeva and Devi Parvathi had protected them from the evil
hands of poverty, and that the impediments to marriage and family
welfare and prosperity had been removed.
Women
who have not been able to get married even after the age of forty
can get partners after they become devotees. Large numbers of devotees
who flock every year are a positive evidence. Many tourists including
foreigners, archaeologists and people from across the globe visit
the temple to see the epic of the Ramayana beautifully etched in
a tree inside the Balikal Pura (sacrificial stone house) within
the temple.
The
temple indeed provides for the rich heritage of God's own country
- Kerala.
Mahadeva
Namashiva!
Parvati Devi Namah!
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