MAHA SIVARATHRI AND SIVALAYA OTTAM

[padmanabha]

MAHA SIVARATHRI: _

On the day of Sivarathri(FEB 16), devotees of Lord Siva visit all the 12 temples, located in and around Kalkulam the former capital of Venad, and the event is called Sivalaya ottam. The devotees after the ritualistic bath smear the holy ash of the fore head and chant “Govinda Gopala” and visit the temples spread with in an area of 80 Kilometers.

Thirumalai, Thikkurissi, Thrupparappu, Thirunandikkarai, Ponmanai, Pannipakam, Kalkulam, Melangodu, Thriuvidaikkodu, Thiruvithankkodu, Thriupannikkodu, and Thirunattalam are the twelve temples they visit.
Legend: _ Vyakrapadan the son of Doumaya Maharshi, was a staunch believer of Siva. Lord Krishna engages Bhima to invite Vyakrapadan for the Aswamedayagam. Krishna hands over 12 siva lingams to Bhima and directs him to chant the names of Vishnu while he meet Vyakrapadan.
Hearing the names “Govinda, Gopala”, irritated Vyakrapadan chased Bhima. Bhima dropped the lingams one by one on his way, and it is believed that they later became the above mentioned temples. The idol of the Thirunattalam the temple where the ottam concludes is Sankara Narayana-suggesting that Hari and Haran are one and the same.

The Ottam: - It begins from Munchirai also known as Thirumalai. The devotees have to observe fasting for three days. They have to wear red scarf around their waist and must carry a bundle of holy ash and a hand fan.

[crazy]

[Braandan]

Thanks for this.
Have been searching all over the web for info on this.
Seems that they have to finish the run in one day, right?

They carry a hand-fan to fan themselves during the run?

The greatness is that in those days there were rifts between Saivites and Vaishnavites and the runners chant "gopala govinda" while visiting Siva temples!!

[Braandan]

Pictures of Sankara Narayana also shows the "hand-fan" in on of his hands. There is a wall painting of Sankara Narayana on the left side of the SreeKovil in front (sanctum sanctorum) of Guruvayoor temple.

[padmanabha]

yes. they have to finish it in one day. but these days they go most of them go by bus. there are a few who run all the way. i copied a picture of the mural of sankaranarayana, but not from guruvayoor. i have to check with the drawing book.