Thriprayar Temple

Triprayar, also spelt Thriprayar, is a temple town approximately 25 kilometers southwest of Thrissur, Kerala state, India.

It is the home of a temple dedicated to Lord Rama. According to legend, idols of Lord Vishnu resembling Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata and Shatrughna were washed ashore and were consecrated at Triprayar, Tirumoozhikkalam and Koodalmaanikkam Payammel respectively by a local chieftain Vakkel Kaimal who used to be the Naduvazhi. Descendants of Vakkel Kovilakam moved to the south and settled in Niranam (Thudangiyil) and Thalavady (Cherussery Madhom) as worshippers of Thrikapaleswar (Lord Shiva) for the attainment of the lotus feet of Lord Krshna. Thachudaya kaimal, who was entusted as the caretaker, used to reside at Irinjalakuda. Worshipping all the four deities in a single day is considered especially auspicious.

The idol is that of a four-armed Vishnu (Chaturbhuja Vishnu) and Rama is depicted as the victor over the demon Kara. The deity is said to contain aspects of Brhama and Shiva too, making it into a Trimurthi. The temple also has a shrine dedicated to Lord Ayyappa in its outer courtyard.

The main festivals of the temple are the Pooram (held in the Malayalam month of "Meenam") and Ekadasi (which falls in November-December). One of the popular sacrifices ("vazhipadu") at the temple is "meen-oottu" (fish-feeding) which involves feeding grains of rice to the fish at the river that forms one boundary of the temple.

How to get there

Triprayar is freely accessible by road from Thrissur, which has a major railway station. It is about 60 kilometers from the airport at Kochi.