Thread by @templefable

#Kerala architects stood out in their mastery over wood sculpting. If you ask, why most of the temples in Kerala are not so architecturally minute in their making, the answer is: wood. Cheras largely worked with wood. This is the koothambalam of #haripad Subramanian temple.

Because the entire structure was made of wood most of the grand temples succumbed to fire accidents. It was easy for invaders to raze it too. But remnants of it exist only in a handful of temples. See this video. #haripadsubramanian temple.

The ceiling of the koothambalam ( theatre) at #haripadsubramanian temple.

What is unfortunate is people at the helm of affairs to protect and develop the temple lack absolutely no sense whatsoever. Just look how pathetic these people's aesthetic sense is. #haripadsubramanian

#haripadsubramanian temple legend: Early name #harigeetapura later called #ekachakra. Lord hari is said to have sang here praising Subramanian. Temple considered to be atleast 2700 years old. story goes that a team was formed that was presiding to make a Shasta temple. (1)

Miraculously all the members saw the same dream that a divine idol of Subramanya will be found at Govindamuttam backwaters. The place where the idol is located, they will see flowers rising from beneath the water. The next day all the members were startled by this dream they saw.

A group of these people went and retrieved the idol. With a support of varikoli nair family, Kezhekedathu warrier family, brahmins and natives of Haripad, a huge panchaprakara temple was constructed. The cultural centre is the 2nd biggest in Kerala.

This temple’s presiding deity is a rare four armed subramanya with one arm holding a Vel, another Vajrayudha, one showing the sign of blessing and one hand touching his waist.

The Subrahmanya moorthy has the Sannidhya (presence) of Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma. It is because of this reason that there are three important festivals for this temple. Avani Utsavam is done in Vaishnava style , Marghazi Utsavam in Shaiva style & Chithira Utsavam for lord Brahma

Prince Kerala Varma Valiya Koyi Thampuran was kept under house arrest for 5 years at Ananthapuram kottaram near the temple by the then king Ayilyam Thirunal. He was abstained from meeting his wife princess Lakshmibai thamburatti.

He was only allowed to visit the Haripad temple during his house arrest. He was known to be a great orator and poet. His longing to be with his wife gave him great agony.

The prince would look at the peacocks in the #haripad temple as if trying to convey his message to the queen through it. He wrote a series of poems called Mayoora Sandesham that gave the peacock direction from Haripad to Thiruvananthapuram.

The temple was made by taking out soil from one area which today is a 4 acre+ temple pond. The soil helped raise the temple. The temple pond gleams with its lustrous water holding the water table of the entire region. It could possibly be the largest temple pond of Kerala.

During paddy harvest season, there is a ritual that is followed even today. Pooja of Nelkathir ( paddy) is done here and kept at the State government treasury.

In the year 1921 the temple caught fire but the golden flag mast and the Koothambalam was saved from the fire. The temple was rebuilt during the reign of King Sree Chithira Thirunal Rama Varma. and the golden flag mast was re-installed.

Today, the travancore devaswom is in charge. many unique rituals in this temple seized. Veena used to be played during pantheeradi puja. Today this ritual doesn't exist. It sad to see the temple architecture is not maintained well. The last reared peacock died 2 months ago.