Nileshwaram

Nileshwaram
—  municipality  —
Thekke Kovilakam
Nileshwaram Location of Nileshwaram in Kerala and India
Coordinates	12°30′N 75°00′E / 12.5°N 75.0°E / 12.5; 75.0Coordinates: 12°30′N 75°00′E / 12.5°N 75.0°E / 12.5; 75.0
Country	India
State	Kerala
District(s)	Kasaragod
Population • Density	38,211 (2001[update]) • 2,702 /km2 (6,998 /sq mi)
Official languages	Malayalam
Time zone	IST (UTC+05:30)
Area	14.14 square kilometres (5.46 sq mi)
Codes • Vehicle • KL-14

Nileshwaram (Malayalam: നീലേശ്വരം), also known as Nileshwar, is a municipality in the Kasaragod District of Kerala state, South India. It is one of the three municipalities of Kasaragod district, the other two being Kasaragod and Kanhangad. Nileshwaram lies between two rivers, Nileshwaram and Karyangodu. To the west is the Arabian Sea.

Etymology

The name "Nileshwaram" comes from one of the names of Lord Shiva, Neelakanteshwaran ("Blue-necked One"), or from Neelakandeswaran, denoting land of Lord Siva. There is another story that the place was named so after Sage Neela, who installed the deity of Lord Siva thousands of years ago.

Arts and culture

A number of socio-cultural organizations thrive in Nileshwaram. Neeleshwaram is known as the 'Cultural capital of Kasaragod District'. The town is home to folk arts, temple festivals, a palace, kavuus (sacred grooves), old markets, and a weaver street. Festivals in Nileshwaram are Pooram and Kalasam in Mannampurathukavu and the festival in Thaliyil temple. Porat (ശാലീയ പൊറാട്ട്) in Anjoottabalam Veerarkavu, the Vishukkaliyattam festival in Thattacherry Vadayanthoor Kazhakam, and the Pooram festival in Cheermakkavu attract thousands of people in the month of Meenam. The temple premises are decked with red cloth while devotees offer gifts to the goddess in gratitude and ask for the cure of diseases like chicken pox. The Theyyam festival, which is performed in several kavus, tharavads, and other sacred buildings attract large numbers of foreigners. Festivities start on Thulam 10 and continue till Idavam. In Nileshwar alone, Theyyam is performed in many different forms, like Padarkulangara Bhagavathi, Padinhare Chamundi, Moovalamkuzhi Chamundi, Kundor Chamundi, Raktha Chamundi, Vishnumoorthi, Palot Bhagavathi, Muchilot Bhagavathi, Vairajathan, Vairavan, several Bhagavathis, Gulikans and Pottan in Aramana house. Artists who lived in Nileshwaram include Kanayi Kunhiraman, Kavya Madhavan and Sanusha

People

While Malayalam is the predominant language spoken in this area, other communities such as the Gowda Saraswat Brahmins, who speak Konkani, also live there in large numbers.

Famous personalities

• Kavya Madhavan - Cine Actress
• Kanayi Kunhiraman - Sculptor

Temples in and around Nileshwaram

There are many temples situated in and around Nileshwaram.

Tali Shiva Temple (Neelakandeswara Temple)

Believed to be enshrined by Sree Parasurama, the temple played a role in shaping the history of Nileshwaram.

Benkana Kavu

The Benkana Kavu is situated in the centre of Nileshwaram. It is the site of the 'kanhiram' tree which attracts thousands of devotees from in and around the Kasaragod district. Devotees from Tulu Nadu to the Valapattanam River give respect to the kavu for its devotional power. The mysterious lamps of the kanhiram tree are lit on Tuesdays and Fridays after 10:00. Devotees believe the prosperity of the neighbouring district is mainly because of the presence of the god in Benkanakav. The Theyyam festival is held at the Bengana kavu every second year.

Pallikkara Sree Bhagavathi Temple

The Pallikkara Bhagavathi temple is one of the important temple of Nileshwar-Pallikkara.

Arayakkil Sree Veerabhadraswami temple

This temple is about 1 km east of Nileshwar Railway station and 1.5 km from the bus stand. The Vaarshikolsavam is conducted every year with thidambunritam on the second Monday of Vrischikam (at the end of November). The devotees come to pray to the Deity, especially on Mondays. In olden days snake-bitten people came to pray and prepare Bhajana for at least twelve days and performed devotions get relief from the poison. This was the only remedy at that time. People who suffer from fits such as rabies would also pray for relief at this temple. This temple is considered^{[by whom?]} as VISHA HAARY. The Bhasma or vibhoothi given from this temple was the medicine. The puja in this temple is prepared by the family members of Arayakkil Perikamana Illom, an ancient family that came from Badiadka 300 years ago. The Naveekarana Kalasam was conducted 9 to 14 February 2003 (1178 Makaram 26 to Kumbham 2nd) by Brahmasree Koramangalam Damodaran Nambudiri

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  Loard Veerabhadran of Arayakkil Temple

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  Thidampu Nrutham

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  Thidampu Nrutham

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Suvarnavalli Vishnu Temple

Suvarnavalli Shri Maha Vishnu Temple, more commonly known as Choornnolli temple, is located in the Suvarnavalli area of Pattena. The main deity here is Lord Vishnu. The temple has attracted a lot of worshippers in recent years. The temple well does not dry up, even on the peak summer days of unusually hot years. The temple opens in the morning and evening for puja. The annual festival of Ulsavam includes Thidambu Nrutham and special pujas.

Kadanjathoor Sree Krishna Temple

This temple presents the utmost divinity with its large pond. It isonsidered to be the birth place of Sree Krishna. The temple had a rich past before the invasion of Tipu Sultan. The temple is presently in a poor state due to neglect, but devotees expect the revival of the temple, surpassing all other Krishna temples, mainly because of its rich past.

Mannanpurathu Kavu (Chathayamangalam Temple)

Mannampurathu Kavu, also known as Chadayamangalam Baghavathi Temple, is filled with trees in the centre of the town. The temple's history is related to the notorious Mannan and his assassination by Mannampurath Baghavathi. The temple tells the story of the migration of Nair families to Nileshwar from the South. They invited a non-vegetarian priestly class to do the rituals of the temple. During the Pooram festival a large number of devotees come to the temble and worship the Thidamp and get the blessings of Kavilamma, Eruvattachan and Mailittachan.

Anjootambalam Veerkavu

This temple hosts the Movalamkuzhi Chamundi Theyyam, Saliya porat, and Pooram festival. This is the sacred place of the Saliya caste in and around Nileshwaram. Residents of the temple make cotton clothes.

Thattacherry Vadayanthoor Kazhakam Templ

This temple is situated behind Nileshwar Railway Station in Thattacherry where the goldsmith community lives. Mathsyavatharam, one of the ten Avatars of lord Vishnu, is worshiped here. During the Vishukkaliyattam festival in April (Medam), Palott Daivam theyyam is performed. The ornaments and attire of the theyyam are made of gold and silver.

Cheerma Kavu

Natives worship Sree Kurumba Bagavathi to cure chicken pox and other communicable diseases.

Sree Muthappan Temple Nileshwar

An elder member of the Koroth family regularly visited the place now known as the Muthappan temple. He was a famous scholar and got the title Ezhuthachan for his commendable achievement as a teacher. He drank madhu (toddy), the liquor fermented from coconut sap, a kind of intoxicating drink. Before drinking his madhu, he poured a few drops of madhu on a nearby jackfruit tree as an offering for the god Muthappan. He regularly repeated the practice. Several years after the death of the scholar the natives experienced serious troubles and called upon an astrologer for assistance. The astrologer revealed that as a result of the regular practice of giving madhu to the tree, the god Muthappan started residing there. After the death of the scholar, he no longer got madhu, and in a fit of pique, began creating disturbances. Then the natives erected a Muthappan temple there. The Koroth family got the right of koymma (patron) of the temple. The divine jackfruit tree stood in the miidle of the temple since 1993. The growth of the tree demolished the earlier structure. The newly erected temple is situated in the place where the jackfruit tree stood.

Shaasta Temple

This temple represents Sabarimala, and people who go on pilgrimage to Sabarimala often do rituals here. Like Sabarimala, the temple is located in a dense forest and there is a small stream flowing nearby. Although the temple was consecrated in 2005, an older temple was on the site that had a rich past but fell into neglect over the millennia. This temple has a link with the Saasthamangalam Chathothappan Temple dedicated to Shiva located nearby.

Saasthamangalam Chathothappan Temple

This temple is dedicated to Chathothappan (Lord Shiva). Although the current temple has only been in existence for about 20 years, the temple has a rich history. The original temple at the site was built 3,000 years ago and the temple fell into disrepair a few times. The temple was destroyed by Tipu Sultan and all traces were gone for the next 200 years. In the recent past, remains of the old temple including Vigrahams (idols) were found.

Muchilot Bagavathi Temple Puthukai

Muchilot Bagavathi is one of the most popular deities worshipped in northern Kerala. There is a practice for providing food to thousands of devotees in connection with Muchilot Bagavathi. A highly decorative figure of Muchilot Bagavathi attracts devotees and people of aesthetic sense. In Cherukunnu and Kannapuram Muchilot Bagavathi Theyyam is performed annually. Other places of worship the Muchilot Bagavathi Theyyam is only performed at intervals ranging from several years to twelve years. At Kayyur, near Nileshwaram, the ceremony was performed in January 2008 after an interval of 47 years. Ramanthali, near Payyanur, also hosted the Muchilot Bagavathi Perumkaliyattam in Januaty 2008. The Perumkaliyattam at Muyyam near Taliparamba was held in December 2007.

Cheranathala Sree Vishnumoorthi temple

Cheranathala Sree Vishnumoorthi temple is one of the most popular temple in Nileshwar. Kaliyattam (Theyyam kettu) is performed annually.

Naramkulangara Sree Mahavishnu Temple

References

See also

• Kasaragod District
• Hosdurg Taluk
• Kolathiri
• Kanhangad
• Sree Muthappan Temple Nileshwar
• Chirakkal Raja