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Cultural Discovery Tour To Kerala Agraharam
The word agraharam has various etymological meanings. It indicates the conglomeration (haram) of the first among the four varnas (castes). Agraharam also indicates a cluster of houses with a temple of Shiva on the agram (extreme tip) of the street. Agraharams are inherently inhabited by the Brahmin's.
The Kalpathy village located in the heart of Palakkad town is famous for its agraharam. Records prove the antiquity of the agraharam on the banks of the Nila (Bharathapuzha). A stone inscription at the Kalpathy Viswanatha Swamy Temple has been dated to AD 1425. The agraharam here is believed to have been established by Brahmins from Tanjore.
The story is that the Palakkad Brahmins refused to offer ritualistic services to the then rulers and so the rulers invited Tamil Brahmins to Kerala and gifted them land. The migrations were from two different centers of Tamil Nadu – Tirunelveli and Tanjore. Thus 18 Agraharams were established in Palakkad. Kalpathy is the oldest and most prominent. It can be regarded as a typical agraharam.
The two old agraharams of Old and New Kalpathy are separated by the Viswanatha Swamy Temple in the east and the Lakshmi Narayana Temple in the west. These villages were carefully laid out to enable the residents of all the houses to get a `darshan' of the temples at the end of their respective streets.
The villages were also built along the river.
The agraharams were constructed according to its own principles of architecture. Each house opened out into the street and each had a vasal-thinnai, which led to the ul-thinnai, rezhi, thazhvaram, adukkalai and kottil. Many of the agraharams had small inner courtyards, which provided adequate daylight to the rooms. Some of the agraharams are;
- Kuzhalmannam Agraharam, Palakkad
- Kizhakkencherry Gramam, Palakkad
- Vadakkencherry Gramam, Palakkad
- Thekke Gramam, Chittur, Palakkad
- Padinjare Gramam, Palakkad
- Agraharam in Karamana, Thiruvananthapuram
Kuzhalmannam Gramam (Coyalmannam Agraharam)
Coyalmannam Agraharam, a Kerala iyer Tamil Brahmin gramam is one among agraharams (gramams) of Palakkad district. The residents of this Agraharam are mainly Tamil Brahmins, commonly called as Kerala iyers who migrated from Tamilnadu more than 300 years ago.
In April 2004, the temples of this agraharam were renovated and a Kumbhabhishekam was conducted in a grand way. A new chariot used for Ratholsavam (Car Festival) was made and metal covering of the main Sreekovil area was also completed. A new Pallakku was made in 2005, to be used in the regular palanquin procession associated with Uriyadi Ratholsavam and associated festivals of this agraharam. The Navarathri - Uriyadi Ratholsavam is celebrated every year in a pompous manner.
Festivals
Navarathri Uriyadi Ratholsavam - Kuzhalmannam
The most colourful festival of this Agraharam is Uriyadi-Ratholsavam which comes in the Ekadasi day in the Malayalam month of Kanni(October).
For this function a special pandal is put up in front of the Mukhamandapam doorways and pandal are well decorated with palm leaves, Mango leaves and colour paper. Kolam is drawn in the Namaskaramandapam and on the doorstep with rice flour.
Abhishekam and kalabham, installation of uriyadi kaal, installation of three uris(earthern pots) on the poles, Ratholsava of the Uthsava moorthis, swamy oorvalam(divine procession) on the Ratha, breaking of uris in the evening, deeparadhana in the twilight, night procession of the deities in a palanquin, night deeparadhana and distribution of prasadam are the salient features of this festival.
Uriyadi Celebration - Coyalmannam Agraharam
Deities of Lord Lakshminarayana and Goddess Lakshmi are richly decorated with sandal paste, silk clothes, garlands and various ornaments on this day. Seeing the deities on this day is considered to be very auspicious.
Ratha is used to be part of almost every Agraharam and here also there is a small four wheeled Ratha. For the Ratholsavam the Ratha is well decorated and kept in front of the temple in the morning.
On the auspicious time the Uthsavamurthis are brought out from the temple and installed in the Ratha. The Rathayathra begins in the afternoon when volunteers pull the Ratha. The Rathyathra is accompanied by Nadaswaram and Chendamelam. In front of the Ratha procession two persons carry two oil lamps to illuminate the route of the divine procession. The 'Uriyadimannan'(one who breaks the uris) with a stick in his hand and children around him comes in the prefont of procession. The vedic priests follow the Ratha chanting Vedic hymns.
Ratha is stopped in front of the houses where householder wish to offer Nivedyam to the deities. The temple priest dressed in double dhoti draped in the traditional style, his angavasthram hitched around the waist, his forehand marked with a broad namam goes to the houses to do Nivedyam and Harathi.
The Ratha stops in a particular place for the Uryadi. Three Uris containing turmeric water, milk and curd are hung up high from a rope stretching between two opposite poles. The rope connecting the three Uris is kept on a pulley and the temple authorities draw this rope high and low standing at a distance. The Uryiadimannan comes in for breaking the Uris. At this time young folk surround him and sprinkle water on his face and eyes by means of hand pumps and plastic mugs in order to divert his attention. The Uriyadi will be completed when uriyadimannan breaks all the uris with a stick. People assemble in large numbers to witness this event. After the Uriyadi function, the Ratha resumes its journey to the single street and returns to the temple. Fireworks and crackers are set off at different intervals to celebrate various events of this function.
Cultural Discovery Tour To Kalpathy Heritage Village
Sight-seeing tours to Kalpathy Heritage Village with accommodation at Tharavadu Homestay to help the discerning tourists to familiarise with the culture of Brahmin's inhabiting Agraharams.
Day 1
Drive from Kochi (Cochin) to the Kandath Tharavad. You will have lunch in typical Kerala style. The afternoon is at leisure to explore the village by foot or by cycle.
Day 2
Morning excursion to Kalpathy Heritage Village. In the afternoon, visit a pot makers colony to watch the potters at work.
Day 3
Full day excursion to the Guruvayur Elephant Farm and Kerala Kalamandalam (most famous dance school in Kerala).
Day 4
Drive to Kochi (Cochin) to connect with your onward travel.
Contact us on +91 484 2315050 / 2316060 or by e-mail: info@karmakerala.com for more information.
