Nalambalam is a set of four hindu temples in Kerala. In malayalam, Nalu means four and Ambalam means Temple. These are the temples for the Rama brothers of Ramayana.Visiting nalambalam is considered to be a sacred event during the Malayalam month of Karkidakam
Nalambalam Yatra is the visit of four temples of Rama brothers. It starts with visiting the Rama temple in Triprayar and ends with Shatrughna Temple in payammal of Thrissur district. There is a temple for Lakshmana at Moozhikkulam and for Bharata at irinjalakkuda.
Nalambalam Yathra starts with the visit to Sree Rama temple at Triprayar and ends with the visit to Payammal Sree Shatrughna Temple. People use to visit a temple of Lord Krishna named Elambalakkattu at Edakulam while going to the Shathrugna temple
The first temple to be attended is the Thriprayar –where Lord Siva is the deity-see the “Nirmalyam” at 3 AM there, and proceed to Iringalakuda to attend the “usha pooja” at the Koodal Manikya temple where Bharathan –a rare deity in temples is installed, then “Utcha pooja at Moozhikkulam Lekshmana Perumal temple comes as the third, then the fourth and last temple at Payammal Shatrukhna temple to attend “Deeparadhana” there.
The completion of this blissful journey seeing four great temples all rich in history and interesting mythologies at a stretch and attending the poojas and rituals performed there will be an experience for the whole life. At this time when vehicles are popular even old people can perform it without much difficulty
Thriprayar temple at Thriprayar near Thrissur
The idol of Sree Rama was installed at this temple by the side of the river “Thivra” (Thiru purayar) meaning sacred river. The origin of the river is described in a beautiful mythology. Lord Mahavishnu during his “Vamana incarnation” visited this place and he found no water to wash his legs as the whole place was dry and desolate.
Vamana took the water from his “kamandalu” (a small round vessel used by sanyasis to carry water) and poured the water to wash his legs, that source of water never went dry but kept on flowing as the Thiru Purayar or the Thriprayar (river of divine source) as it is called now
Koodalmanikyam Temple
Koodalmanikyam Temple is the only Hindu temple in India where Bharata (Lord Sangameshwara), the brother of Sree Rama is worshiped. This beautiful ancient temple is situated in Irinjalakuda a small town in Trissur district of Kerala state, south India.
The speciality of this temple is that there is only one place of worship, even Ganapathy is not be found inside the temple. Usually all big temples in India will have more than one deity inside the temple, especially Sree Ganapathy
Lekshmana Temple of Thirumoozhikulam
The deity of Lekshmana is also a rarity. It is situated at Moozhikulam between Alwaye and Mala. The mythology behind the name of this place goes like this. Once upon a time on the banks of river Poorna there an old Sanyasi by name Haritha Maharshi lived to undergo penance and meditation.
Lord Mahavishnu got impressed by the dedication of the yogi and appeared before him. That was the beginning of the “Kali yuga” (as per the Hindu calendar of all the yuagas Kaliyuga is the last one and that is present yuga in which we all are living) and the advices given by Mahavishnu were the ideal ways to lead life in this kali yuga.
The deity of Lekshmana is also a rarity. It is situated at Moozhikulam between Alwaye and Mala. The mythology behind the name of this place goes like this. Once upon a time on the banks of river Poorna there an old Sanyasi by name Haritha Maharshi lived to undergo penance and meditation.
Lord Mahavishnu got impressed by the dedication of the yogi and appeared before him. That was the beginning of the “Kali yuga” (as per the Hindu calendar of all the yuagas Kaliyuga is the last one and that is present yuga in which we all are living) and the advices given by Mahavishnu were the ideal ways to lead life in this kali yuga.
These advices are said to be “thiru mozhi” meaning sacred words. And the place got its name as “thirumozhi kalam” –kalam meaning a stage. Later as years passed by thirumozhikalam became “Thirumoozhikulam”.
The Thirumoozhikualam Lekshmana Perumal temple had a superior status and it had a command over the other local temples. It attracted most of the Tamil Vaishnavite pilgrims who visited ancient Kerala. The temple had a bylaw by name “Moozhikulam katcha” which applied to all other temples of Kerala
Shatrughna Temple
The Shatrughna Temple is situated at Payammal, which is 6 km from the Koodalmanikyam temple at Irinjalakuda in Thrissur District of Kerala in India. This is one of the few temples in India that is dedicated to Lord Shatrughna
