There are some temples that are more than a divine shrine. They gel so seamlessly with the surroundings and give you a feeling that nature itself has something godly about it. Kerala is a land that boasts of many such temples that are both holy and beautiful. Chottanikkara Bhagavathi Temple in Ernakulam district is one such place of worship that is blessed with lush green surroundings and a glorious idol of the goddess.
Tucked away in the beautiful village of Chottanikkara, the temple is considered to be one of the most important places of worship in Kerala. The history of the temple dates back to the 10th century CE. There are various legends, myths and beliefs related to the origin of the temple. The temple primarily has two sections – the Mekkavu and Keezkkavu. Goddess Rajarajeshwari (Adiparashakthi) is worshipped in the temple in three forms – Saraswathi in the morning, Lakshmi in the noon and Durga in the evening.
There is also an idol of Lord Vishnu next to that of the principal diety. Along with Bhagavathy & Vishnu there are idols of Brahma, Siva, Ganapathi (Ganesh), Subramanya and Sastha on the same pedestal. “Makam Thozhal”, organised on the day of Makom in the Malayalam month of Kumbham is the main festival that is conducted in the temple.
