Peculiar type of worship at Chennamangalam

Before giving details of some of the temples of Valluvanad, let us see a peculiar way of worship at a Chennamangalam Temple (near Kochi).

Long ago some children found a peculiar stone structure in their huge tarwad (family) compound. In their playfulness, they called the Stone Devi and started singing bhajans clapping their hands in rhythm and going round the stone.

After each round they laughed aloud and continued the Bhajan clapping their hands going round the stone. This continued for a long time. People thought of lifting the stone and thus stopping the fun-cum-worship. They found that the stone was so heavy that they could not lift it. Then they realised that the stone had become a swayambhoo Deity ( attained Chaithanya without the usual rituals.) The family then built a temple around it.

The main offering (daily) at the temple is kottumchiri (clapping and laughing) in which the family members take part even now. They go round the deity singing bhajans, clapping their hands and after each Pradakshina laugh loudly. They now have faith and they say they are successful in their enterprises if they offer “kottumchiri”at this temple.

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