Of the Emperor of Emperors: The Rajarajeshwara Temple of Kannur

Muskaan Gupta

Of the Emperor of Emperors: The Rajarajeshwara Temple of Kannur

Known to be one of the 108 ancient Shiva temples of Kerala, the Rajarajeshwara temple of Kannur is a wonderful architectural and cultural marvel. The temple is a popular pilgrimage site for the devotees of Lord Shiva.

Raja Rajeswara Temple (Source-Kerela Tourism)

Located in the Kannur district of Kerala, Sri Rajarajeshwara Temple, built by the Chola king Rajendra Chola I in the eleventh century, is an architectural wonder. Legend has it that the temple was built on the spot where Lord Shiva appeared in the dreams of the king and asked him to build a temple in his honor. The construction of the temple took several years, and the Chola king spared no expense in making it grandiose. Yet, according to local legend, the temple is one of the 108 Shiva temples erected by Parashurama in Kerala. According to the inscription on the temple’s tank, the temple (and the tank) got restored in 1524 AD by Sathasoma Raja of the Kolathiri dynasty. The Shiva lingam in the sanctum is revered as Rajarajeswara, the emperor of emperors.

The temple is a distinctive building in the area because of its architecture, which combines Keralite and Dravidian styles. The gopuram and other elements are as per the Dravidian architecture, while the main entrance follows the Keralite style. Lord Shiva, the temple's principal deity, is carved out of black stone and stands 5.5 feet tall. The temple's gopuram stands 50 feet tall and is adorned with elaborate carvings and sculptures. The temple had the tallest shikhara amongst the shrines of its era, which has a top of about 90 tonnes. The two-tiered sanctum sanctorum is a superb illustration of Kerala's traditional architectural style. Its base is a rectangle with copper sheets on the ceiling. The roof tapers to a gorgeous gold kalasham at the top. There are four doorways in the sanctum sanctorum, one on each side. Only the doors to the east and the south are open. The seat of Parvati, Lord Shiva's consort, is located on the west side of the sanctum sanctorum. A shrine to Lord Ganesha, Lord Shiva's son, can also be seen on the southwestern side. Lord Subrahmanya, another son of Lord Shiva, is housed in another shrine on the northwestern side. The quadrangular sanctum sanctorum has a namaskara mandapam in front of it. Sri Rama is said to have halted here on his triumphant return from Lanka to pay his respects to Lord Shiva. Even today, devotees are not permitted to enter the namaskara mandapam in honor of his eternal presence.

The temple is renowned for its unique rituals and ceremonies. One such tradition is the admittance of women during the Athazha Pooja, or night worship, which takes place at about 7:15 p.m. It is said that following the Athazha Pooja, Shiva is in a very pleased and gracious mood and, accompanied by his consort Parvati, is eager to grant the wishes of female worshippers. There are no annual festivals or ritualistic baths associated with the temple. The idol is never taken outside of the temple grounds. In rituals, tulsi leaves are used instead of Bilwa leaves. In contrast to other Shiva temples, there is no dhaara (the continuous pouring of holy water on the lingam).

The pilgrim walks around the shrine in the center after arriving through the eastern gate. In front of the central shrine, facing the idol of Lord Shiva, stands the statue of his bull mount, Rishabha. The Balikkallu of Rishabha is a massive granite structure with many figurines and elaborate carvings. The Jyothir lingam, whose base is covered by gold coating, is topped with a golden cup known as Golaka. The Jyothir lingam can only be seen in its actual form twice a day—once in the early morning for the first abhishekam and once after the third pooja of the day for the Navakaabhishekam.

The tales surrounding the temple are as rich as its architecture. The temple is located near Taliparamba, which is considered one of the oldest Shakti Peethas. It is thought to be the location where Goddess Sati's head fell after her self-immolation. The Shiva lingam within the temple is thought to be thousands of years old. Lord Shiva, according to folklore, bestowed three precious Shiva lingams on Parvati for worship. Parvati gave these Shiva lingams to three devout kings, to one in the Treta Yuga (Maandhatha) and tp the other two (Muchukundam and Shathasoman) in the Dvapara Yuga. Goddess Parvati advised them to place the idols where no creature had perished and no dead corpse had fallen. After much searching, the sage Maandhata discovered Taliparamba to be the most perfect location. Yet, according to other legends, the Shiva Linga was erected here by Guru Agastya himself.

This artistically and spiritually rich temple has drawn the devotion of all people alike. The Rajas of Chirakkal were devout followers of Sri Rajarajeshwara. Prior to ascending the throne, the Maharajas of Travancore used to present or offer an elephant to the temple. The Zamorin of Kozhikode was an ardent follower of the deity as well. At present, too, various important as well as common people visit the temple to find peace and pay reverence to Lord Rajarajeswar.