History - Uthralikkavu Pooram Temples and idol worship are an essential and integral part of the Hindu way of life. Temple worship in Kerala came about mainly due to the Aryan rule some time in the 1st century A.D. The deities worshipped in Kerala temples are Devi in the form of Lakshmi, Saraswathi, Bhadrakaji and Umadevi, Vishnu, Siva, Subrahmanya and Dharma Sasta. Every temple has an annual festival (Utsavam) and a few, two. A festival is an opportunity for people to express their deepest spiritual cravings. The common thread running through all the festivals is the honouring of a deity, whose presence in peoples’ lives is like that of a highly respected and loved member of the family. There are Aagama temples and Kavu temples. Kavu temples are located amidst paddy fields and in the midst of hills and forests. There may not be an idol as such. The deity is usually exposed to sun and rain and is believed to be the protector and nourisher of the fields. The Goddesses of Kavu temples are believed to be powerful and that their anger results in dreadful diseases, floods, droughts and such other natural calamities. Uthralikavu near Wadakanchery is one of the most important Kavu temples. It is believed that this temple came into existence a little over two centuries ago. The person who initiated and gave impetus to the Vela (festival) there is said to be the Maharaja of Cochin. The Vela started with Enkakkad,. followed by Wadakanchery and then joined by Kumaranellur. The people of all the three Desams worship the Devi with equal ardour, and organize the festival in a competitive but friendly spirit, the focus being the Devi enshrined in the Kavu. The history of Uthralikavu Pooram will not be complete without mentioning the name of Sri V Venkitachalam IPS (Retd DGP) Kerala who was the chief patron of Wadakanchery Committee. The Uthralikavu Pooram which had taken on the character of a fierce competition between the contending sides for pride of place became a friendly competition thanks to his gentle suasion and sagacious councel. The Pooram thus became a rallying point for people of all castes, classes and communities to meet, greet and mingle, bringing out the oneness of man. His sad demise on 19th December 2011 left a great void in the Wadakanchery Pooram Committee.
Posted on: Fri, 12 Sep 2014 08:10:24 +0000
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