Vaikom Sree Mahadeva Temple - Part 2, Architecture, Festival, and Satyagraha

Did you know that the Vaikom Sree Mahadeva Temple of Treta Yuga times, dedicated to Lord Shiva, has a closed western door linked to a tragic incident of death of a Namboodri priest by snake bite due to his wilful desecration of the naiyvedyam offering to the God?

The Vaikom Sree Mahadeva Temple in the Vaikom town in the northwestern part of the Kottayam district of Kerala, a lakeside town situated in the banks of the Vembanad lake, the citadel of orthodoxy and casteiem, also known as Thekkan Kashi (Southern Kashi), is a typical example of the Kerala style of temple architecture with a Srikovil (sanctum sanctorum) housing one of the three Shiva Lingas gifted by Shiva to an asura called Khara; the other two Lingas were consecrated in the Kaduthuruthy and Ethumanoor temples nearby. However, the credit for building the temple at Vaikom initially goes to Lord Parasurama during Treta Yuga though in its present form it was built in 1594 and subsequenbtly developed by the Maharajas of Travanacore to its present status of a very large temple.

The Vaikom Temple as seen now, built in the Kerala style of architecture, is spread over an area of more than 8 acres. The sanctum sanctorum is round in shape (circular) and is roofed with copper sheets, and has two chambers. In fact, this is the only temple in Kerala with an oval shaped sanctum, though externally it appears like a circular temple. It was built by Perumthachan, who was an exceptional architect of his time. The sanctum sanctorum is the second chamber built completely in stone including the roof in a square shape. To obtain the darshana (divine view) of the Shiva linga in the sanctum the devotee has to pass through a staircase with six steps, either from the entrance or the sanctum. This curious design of steps is said to signify the six vikaras (impurities) of a person which are Kama (lust), Krodha (anger), Lobha (power), Moha (attachment), Mada (ego) and Matsarya (envy). Passing through this staircase signifies the devotee letting go of these six impurities and attaining liberation or moksha. The Mukha Mandapa, in front of the sanctum is the first pillared hall and chamber is built in dressed stone and single piece woods. Overall, the temple has a courtyard of about eight acres of land. The premises is levelled with river sand and is protected by compound walls with four gopurams or entrance towers on all the four sides. Even though temples are generally constructed near perfect East-West direction (e.g., the temples in Ettumanoor and Kaduthuruthy), the Vaikom temple is built with a tilt of five degrees in the North-South direction.

A curious fact of the temple is its western gate or door which is permanently closed. This is attributed to an internicine fight among the Namboodri priests of 108 families running the temple in olden days. One of the priests is said to have deliberately desecrated the naiyvedyam (food offering to the gods) and as result when he came out of the sanctum from the western door he was bitten by poisonous snake and he died instantly. Since then the western gate to the sanctum remains shut.

The most famous festival held at this temple is the Vaikom Ashtami (Vaikathashtami), which is held during November–December. The exact date of the festival is determined by the Malayalam calendar. Vaikathashtami is celebrated on the day of Krishna Ashtami (eigth day in the dark half of lunar month) in the Malayalam month of Vrischikam (Scorpio). In one version it is said to commemorate the appearance of Shiva before sage Vyaghrapada. In another version, it marks the day when Lord Parashurama found the Shiva linga submerged in Vembanad lake, retrieved it and re-consecrated it at Vaikom on this auspicious day, and also built a temple around the Shiva Linga.

During early 20th century, the temple shot into national fame for ts role in the Indian independence movement for being the venue of Vaikom Satyagraha to eradictae untoucability, a civil rights movement aimed at securing freedom of movement for all sections of society, particularly the avarnas or untouchabels. Initially, the agitation or satyagrha was started on 30 March 1924 by three members of the Avarans, to seek access to the road in front of the temple to the Ezhavars and other untouchables. It soon spread like a wild fire as more of the avarnas joined tha agitation. It was supported by C. Rajagopalchari and EV Ramaswanmy Naickar during Mahatma Gandhis nine day visit to Vaikom and other areas in Kerala. This agitation intially only obtained permission to the avarnas to use the road infront ff the temple. It was only in November 1936 that the avarnas or untouchables were allowed entry into the temple; the then Maharaja of Travancore issued the first Temple Entry Proclamation in India.

The Vaikom Shiva temple is 37 km from Ernakulam and 32 km from Kottayam and about from Kochi International Airport.

Narasipur Char