Draft:Vadakkumpuram Sree Vishnumaya Devasthanam

Vadakkumpuram Vishnumaya Devasthanam (alternatively Vishnumaya Chathan Temple) is a Hindu temple at Chenthrapinni, Thrissur District, Kerala state, India. It is dedicated to the god Vishnumaya in Kerala. The god is also known by the name Chathan. Vadakkumpuram Sri Vishnumaya Devasthanam is north-facing temple in the world. The deity is enshrined here in Kubhera bavam.

Main Deity Lord Vishnumaya
Lord Vishnumaya is the divine child of Lord Siva and Parvathy Devi disguised as Kooli vaka. Being so, Sri Vishnumaya Swami is akin to Sastha, Muruka and Vikhneswara. But unlike the other children of Lord Siva, Sri Vishnumaya Swami is worshipped not commonly but by a very different types of devotees who wish to see the results of their prayers and special needs. Because as to the experience of devotees, Sri Vishnumaya Swami is easily pleased and is more humane and empathetic.

The legend is as follows. One day on his way to divine hunt in a forest, Lord Siva came across an uncontainable tribal beauty, Koolivaka. At the very first sight itself, Lord Siva fall for her wild beauty. He informed her his wish and asked to get ready to bear his child in her.

Apparently the Koolivaka was a cursed servant, Manaswiny, of Parvati Devi in her previous birth. She got cursed by Parvati Devi for the reason she tried to suckle Little Ganapathy. The curse was to take birth in an outcaste family. As the anger subdued, Parvathy herself blessed Manaswiny to get the opportunity to breast feed the Son of Siva.

Devi disclosed that it was the pre-ordained fate that made possible her meeting with Lord Shiva and his passion for Koolivaka. She told the girl that she herself would take on the form of Koolivaka and deceive the Lord Shiva. She also informed Koolivaka that the son born from such a union would be the killer of Jalandhara, a powerful Asura. A child with divine power was born through this holy union. Siva and Parvathy appeared in front of Koolivaka and deputed her to foster the child. After living with Koolivaka for some years the child became mature enough to know the detail of his real parents. Then Sivanandana proceeded to the abode of Siva rode on a cute Buffaloe blowing his favorite Eezhara. When he was not allowed entrance into the abode of Siva, Sivanandana assumed the form of Vishnu. Thus Sivanandana was known as 'Vishnumaya.

Main deities
The main deity of the temple is Sree Vishnumaya Kuttichathan. The sub-deities here are Bhadrakali, Bhuvanaeswari, Kukshikalpam, 390 Kuttichathans, Nagaraja, Nagayakshi, Karimkali, Gulikan and Brahmarakshas.

History
Located in the central part of Kerala, this temple is called Chathan temple by Tamil-speaking people. Chatan got its name from Shasta. The temple embodies ancient Shakteya rituals which are rarely observed in contemporary Kerala temples. Earlier this temple was a small shrine. Over time, it became outdated and then the family started suffering. The gold issue was looked into in real time and under the leadership of Ayush Sharma, the grandson of the family, God’s will was heard and the remedial actions were initiated accordingly.

The construction work of the temple started and under the leadership of Suresh Tantri of Kochikat, the dedication was performed in the form of Kubera. In course of time, Swami became peaceful and blessed the family with Ashta Ishwaryas.

Roopakkalam
The ritual of Roopakalam is usually carried out in connection with the annual festival of Pradishtadinam, in May, in the Vishnumaya temples of Kerala. The Roopakalam is a form of ritual or offering to lord Vishnumaya, wherein enchanting and colorful figures of the lord, and sometimes of his trusted friend and ally Karimkutty, are drawn on the ground using multicolored herbal and organic powders. After the Roopakalam is drawn, a family member who is a priest performs puja as per the tantric rites and invokes the lord into the Roopakalam. This is followed by a sacred ritual dance by the priest around the kalam, to the accompaniment of wild music. The dancer then erases the kalam using coconut palm leaves. The colored powders are subsequently distributed to the devotees after the ritual.

Main Offerings to the Deity
The main offerings made by the devotees include Valiya Guruthi, Cheriya Guruthi, Guruthi pushpanjali, Roopakalam, Chuttuvilakku, Niramala, Brahmavellattu pooja, Veethu karmmam, Divasapooja and Pushpanjali.

Prathishtadinam
The day of the oracle of Vishnumaya, in May, is with Thiravellattu Mahotsavam. Roopakalam, Thullal, special poojas, and Pancharimelam are the main attractions of this festival.

Thottampattu festival
Now Thottampattu festival is conducted once in year on the day of Pradishtadinam.