Aranmula is a beautiful place situated on the banks of River Pampa and located at a distance of 116 Km from Thiruvavnanthapuram. The Aranmula village is famous for Traditions, Cultural Variations, Traditional Village Life and Sceneries. It is a suburb of Kozhencherry in Pathanamthitta District. Visit Placeforholidays.com for more details.
About Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple in Kerala :
The Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple is one of the most revered temples dedicated to Lord Krishna. Situated on the left banks of river Pampa it is located near Aranmula, a village in Pathanamthitta district of Kochi in Kerala, South India. The presiding deity is Parthasarathy (Lord Krishna) and is among the 108 Divya Desams of Lord Vishnu.
The temple has four towers over its entrances on its outer walls. According to a popular belief the Pandavas after crowning Parikshit left on pilgrimage and in Kerala each of the Pandava brothers installed Vishnu temples on the bank of the river Pampa to worship. The Chengannur temple is related to Yuddhishtra; the Tiruppuliyur temple to Bheema; Aranmula to Arjuna, Tiruvamundur to Nakula and Tirukkadittaanam to Sahadeva. It is said that the Arjuna built this temple at Nilackal near Sabrimala and the image was brought here in a raft made of six pieces of bamboo and hence named Aranmula means six pieces of bamboo.
Legend of Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple in Kerala :
As per the legend, the Pandava princes, as soon as crowning Parikshit left for a pilgrimage of India, and in Kerala, each of these brothers installed Lord Vishnu on the banks of Pampa as well as neighboring places then offered worship. (Chengannur – Yuddhishtra, Tiruppuliyur – Bheema, Aranmula – Arjuna, Tiruvamundur – Nakula and Tirukkadittaanam – Sahadeva). It is believed that Arjuna constructed this temple at Nilackal near Sabarimala and also idol was brought at this place in the raft made from six pieces of bamboo to the place, and therefore the name Aranmula (six pieces of bamboo).
According to the Legend, Arjuna constructed this Pardhasaradhi Temple, to compensate for sin of having killed Karna in the battlefield, opposed to the dharma of killing an enemy without arms. It is also said that Lord Vishnu, at this place exposed the facts of creation to Bramha, from whom the Madhukaitapa demons stole the Vedas.
Aranmula is also popular for the Vaasthu Vidya Gurukulam, the traditional way of constructing buildings. The well-known Aranmula Mirror, locally recognized as Aranmula kannadi, (Kannadi literally means mirror), is made here. This mirror is made out of high tin bronze.
The Aranmula Vallamkali, the world famous water festival is the main important event related to this place.
Another festival celebrated at Aranmula Pardhasaradhi Temple is Khandavanadahanam in the Malayalam month of Dhanus. For this festival, a model of a forest is formed in front of the temple with dried out plants, leaves and twigs. This bonfire is lit, representational of the Khandavana forest fire of the Mahabharata.
Festival & Event Of Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple in Kerala :
The Aranmula Vallamkali, the world famous water carnivals – boat race is the main important event related to this place, during the Onam season. This temple is located on the banks of the river Pampa. A tradition of sending an offering of rice and other material required for a feast from a nearby village, on a water boat relates to the origin of this festival and this tradition is continued even today (this is related to a legend in which a devotee fed a hungry pilgrim, who directed him to send food to Aranmula and disappeared, revealing that he was none other than Vishnu).
Snake boats accompany the sacred boat. Snake boats from 39 Karas from Chennithala in the west to Ranni in the east participate in the water sport Vellamkali. These boats assemble since dawn and sail in pairs for about 2 hours. A snake boat is about 103 feet in length. Each boat has about 4 helmsmen 100 rowers and 25 singers. After the water sport there is an elaborate feast in the Aranmula temple.
Another festival celebrated here is the Khandavanadahanam celebrated in the Malayalam month of Dhanus. For this festival, a replica of a forest is created in front of the temple with dried plants, leaves and twigs. This bonfire is lit, symbolic of the Khandavana forest fire of the Mahabharata.
This festival where Aranmula Parthasarathy is taken in a grand procession on the garuda mount to the Pampa river bank, where an image of the Bhagawati from the nearby Punnamthode temple is brought in procession for the arattu festival.
Vijnana Kala Vedi, a school of traditional art founded by French artist Louba Child, is in Aranmula, on the way to Kozhencherry.
Best time to visit Aranmula Temple :
The best time to visit Aranmula Temple is from August- September. The water carnivals are also the major attraction of Aranmula Temple that includes the boat race during the Onam season. Snake boats accompany the sacred boat. Another festival celebrated here is the Khandavanadahanam which is celebrated in the Malyalam month of Dhanus. For this festival a replica of a forest is created in front of the temple with dried plants, leaves and twigs. The bonfire is lit which is symbolic to Khandavana forest fire of the Mahabharata.
Another major festival celebrated in the Malayalam month of Meenam witnesses a festival where Aranmula Parthasarathy is taken in a grand procession on the garuda mount to the Pampa river bank where the image of Bhagawati from the nearby Punnamthode temple is brought in the procession for Arattu festival.
Other small temples in Aranmula are:
Ganapati Temple
Kadakal
Punnamthottam
Kuruvilakkavu
Kaippuzha
Pallimukkom
How to reach:
By Air: the nearest airports are at Trivandrum and Cochin and Aranmula can be reached easily. Cochin which is 110 km away.
By Rail: Nearest railway station Chengannur, this is about 1O km away. The three railway junctions in Cochin are Ernakulam town, Cochin harbor and Ernakulam junction.
By Road: Cochin is well connected by a wide network of roads and Aranmula is easily accessible once you reach Cochin. You can always hire local transport and reach Aranmula.