Chakkulathukavu Sree Bhagavathy Temple | Durga Devi Temple In Kerala Alppuzha Kerala

Chakkulathukavu Sree Bhagavathy Temple | Durga Devi Temple In Kerala Alppuzha Kerala

Chakkulathukavu is 18 km from Ambalapuzha on the Thiruvalla Road. The temple is in Neerattupuram, near Chakkulathukavu. The deity is Devi. This temple has a peculiar ritual performed once in a year. On this day, the first Friday of Dhanu (December/January) the priests wash the feet of female devotees who have undergone 10-day fast. This system is stemmed from the belief the female devotee visiting on this particular day is the incarnation of Devi. After washing the feet flower is showered and camphor aarti is given. As a gimmick for popularity, recently the temple authorities have started inviting female VIPs on this day.All Fridays are important here. Every Friday the female devotees bring their relatives addicted with alcohol, drug or gambling. Once they swear, touching Devi’s sword, to renounce the habit, they automatically clutch the habit, the experienced confirm.The elder priests here do a peculiar astrology- pronouncement based on seven betel leaves and two arecanuts brought by the devotee. The devotees stun by the accurate predictions. The priests also prescribe remedy for the ill-effects daunting the devotees.The Pongala offering is supposedly prepared jointly by the devotees and Devi.The Pongala is prepared by females. It is prepared in earthen pots on temporary brick stoves and deadwood pieces are used as fuel. The Pongala food is prepared by unboiled rice – either as rice kheer or as rice preparation with coconut adding no sweet agents. There will be thousands and thousands of stoves stretching out to several kilometers around the temple. The stoves are positioned in lines on either side of the roads and pathways.The main festival is Pongala on Thrikarthika day in Vrichikam (November/December). The Ponkala literally means food offering to the deity. There is a great fascinating story behind the Ponkala. In the dense forest the temple was created by a Vedan (a tribal) and his family. They could not prepare their food in time as they were busy in temple work. Undeterred, they prayed before the Devi, and moved out to prepare the food. When they reached the spot of food preparation, they could not believe their eyes as they found the utensils full of prepared food. They realized, the food was prepared by the worldly powerful Devi. The amazed Vedan and the family prayed deeply to save them from all evils. At this moment an incognito voice pronouncing Makkale (children) the food is prepared by me, the Amma (mother), for you; I am extremely happy with your ardent devotion to me and am extremely happy; I shall always be there with my devotees.As a finale there is a ritual of burning of Karthika stambam (pillar). The stambam is made of dried leaves of coconut tree, banana, elanhi (a tree usually found in temple compounds) and old attires and crackers.The Pongala festival is attended by lacs and the arrangements are elaborate

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