Aykunnu Temple

1. Panchadurga Pooja
In the special Panchadurga Pooja, Aykunnu Panadavagiri Durga Devi is uniquely worshipped in five of her aspects. The singularness of this worship is that by performing separate poojas for each of her five aspects – as Durga, Aaryaa, Devi, Bhagavati and as Kanyaka – the devotee is specially bestowed with her love and blessings. A ceremony associated with this pooja is the ritualistic washing of Brahmana’s feet and feeding him. This is believed to be greatly beneficial in redressing family problems, for begetting progeny, for mental peace, for family prosperity, for strength of mind for redress of poverty, family distress and such.

2. Mangalya Siddhi Pooja:
The temple management conducts the Mangalya Siddhi Pooja to Aykunnu Pandavgiri Devi, the bestower of the boon of auspiciousness, on Pooyam of every month on behalf of the devotees who register for it. This highly popular and efficient pooja is specially beneficial for gaining nedumangalyam, the blessing to outlive the husband, for gaining the desired person as spouse, for removing hindrances to marriage, and for gaining one’s desire etc.

The Mangalya Siddhi Pooja performed in the abode of Aykunnu Mother, where Draupadi was granted this boon of nedumangalya as well as victory in battle for her husbands, is said to be very fruitful. It was certainly due Devi’s grace that Draupadi shed her body after living her long life as a wedded wife before any of her husbands passed away – a feat that neither Sita Devi nor Rugmini Devi could achieve. This pooja which lasts for about an hour, begins at 9 in the morning. The cost is Rs 400 per devotee who offers the pooja. It is necessary to book the pooja in advance by making payment at the temple cash counter. On the Mangalya Siddhi Pooja day, special poojas for solution of problems concerning land properties, as well as the sarvaiswarya pooja for cure of diseases, are also performed. All such special offerings must be booked in advance at the temple counter by making payment and obtaining a receipt.

3. Aarattupuzha Pooram
Some interesting and revealing memoirs in connection with the temple and its participation in the famous Aarattupuzha pooram as recalled by elders of the place is given herebelow:

It is believed that in the olden days, the village deity Thiruvullakkavu sastha, installed a flag post and hoisted the flag in the North nada of temple on behalf of Aikkunnu Pandavagiri Devi, the Peruvanam village goddess. The flag used to be hoisted by the Nampoothiris of Peruvanam households. Subsequently this ritual came to be abandoned because of severe discord among the Nampoothiri households. However after the renovation and rejuvenation processes of the temple (by HNP) were completed in 1995, a permanent flag post was installed for Devi in the Pandavagiri Temple itself. This flag post is decoratively encased in gleaming brass sheath. Yet, the Pandavagiri Devi continues her practice of going formally to the Thirvullakkavu Temple, to take a round in circumambulation of Sastha and return.

4. The Peruvanam Pooram and Devi’s participation in it along with Cherpu Bhagavati:

In the olden days, the rights for the temple nada (entry gates) used to be held by the influential Nampoothiri households. The Eastern nada was under the control of the Poomulli Mana who were the owners of the Oorakattamma Thriuvadi while the rights for the Temple and its western nada was with the Chittoor Mana. The unhealthy competition between these manas to conduct the pooram festival, exceeded all bounds. It ultimately resulted in the blockade of nadas rightfully assigned to the Devi and Devas, thus preventing them from entering the temple for pooram. In one of the subsequent years, when it became apparent that the Nampoothiris of Chittoor mana would obstruct the respected Oorakathama Thiruvadi from going to the Pruvanam Kshetram for pradakshinam after the pooram, the Oorakam people accompanied by Chathukudam Sastha (whose ownership rested with the Desamangalam mana), entered the temple, performed the pradakshinam and completed the temple rituals. The next year, anticipating that the Cherpu Bhagavathi would be blockaded from entering through the eastern nada by the people of Poomulli mana (who owned that nada), the graama devata of Peruvanam accompanied by the equally adorable Aikunnu Bhagavati ceremoniously led the Cherpu Bhagavati for pooram through the eastern nada. Since then the joint ceremonial procession by Cherpu Bhagavathi and Aikunnu amma and the functions in aaraattupuzha, Todukulam and Mandaram kadavu, have become a regular feature. On the day the attam flag at Cherpu Bhagavati temple is hoisted, the Aikunnu amma goes to that Bhagavati Temple and conducts a solemn pradakshina before returning to her Aikunnam abode for the flag hoisting function in Devi’s own temple.