Chottanikkara Temple

Chottanikkara temple is situated adjacent to Ernakulam and enshrines mother Goddess Bhagawati. This is one of the most prominent deities in Kerala. Rajarajeswari is the deity presiding here.

The Rajarajeswari image is made of laterite, a type of red soil containing deposits of aluminum and ferric oxides.

This image of goddess Bhagawati is intact and untouched by human sculptors. So this image is asymmetrical in shape and is shielded with golden armaments called Kavacham.

This goddess Bhagawati has four arms. The upper right arm holds discus and the left holds a conch.

This goddess is worshipped in three forms such as Saraswati in the mornings draped in white, Bhadrakali in the noon draped in Crimson red and as Durga in the evenings absolutely decked in blue. A Lord Vishnu temple in granite is adjacent to this image of goddess Bhagawati in the sanctum. Both the gods, Vishnu as well as Bhagawati are together known as Lakshminarayana and the prayers offered in this temple always address the deity as Devi Narayana, Lakshmi Narayana or Amme Narayana. The most interesting thing of this temple is that the image is not rooted or supported to the ground and is ascended on loose sand.

Water offered during ceremonies seep into the ground. Facing the shrine is the flag staff as well as the Bali Pitham. Towards the south is the Pavazhamallithara. This is believed to be the first place where the deity appeared. A shrine of Lord Shiva is to the south west. Similarly, Keezhkaavu is a shrine of Bhadrakali to the north east.

Worshipping at Chottanikkara temple is supposed to rid devotees of wicked influences and spirits as well as psychological ailments. The structure of this temple was renovated by the Cochin government in the 19th century.

This temple has a legend that a dacoit named Kannappan brought a cow to slaughter, but the cow escaped leaving him to a chasing pursuit. His attempt failed, but when he returned home he found his daughter playing with the cow. Submitting to her request he deserted the idea of slaughtering the cow.

Later his daughter died leaving him in great grief. Goddess Bhagawati after few days appeared in Kannappan’s dream and exposed to him that she, the goddess had appeared in the form of a cow.

The following day he was astonished to see images of Devi and Vishnu in the cowshed and eventually he constructed a modest shrine and today the same is standing as a shrine of magnitude.

Yearly festivals are celebrated between the months of February and March. As this deity is believed to graciously cure even mental illness, she is very popular. The temple is open from 5.30 am to 12 noon and reopens at 4pm to 8pm.