Mannarashala Sree Nagaraja Temple...The divine abode of snakes

I have always found my peace in the midst of nature. 

As a small girl, i  was extremely fascinated by the various serpent deities which existed in the midst of wild growing trees and shrubs in a corner of the compound of the house in our small village. With a great sense of curiosity and awe, I often used to follow an aunt of mine who religiously lit a lamp in front of these deities during dusk.

The sacred groves of Mannarashala temple

Sacred groves were very much a part of Kerala till not so long ago. Today, it is a fact that modernization and disintegration of the joint family system has spelt the death knell for such sprawling sacred woods filled with wild growing plants and trees that used to house a wide variety of flora and fauna. Out of the handful of such groves which exists today, the Sree Nagaraja Temple at Mannarashala is certainly one of the most well known and well maintained temples in Kerala devoted to serpent worship.

The backwaters of Alappuzha

It had been quite some time since the desire to visit the Mannarashala temple had taken root in my mind. After several unsuccessful attempts, my dream finally materialized and i found myself traveling to Mannarashala by road.. a trip which revealed the magnitude of the beauty of God's own Country! The intermittent rains which lashed heavily at times, only served to accentuate the pleasure of the drive. I am truly blessed to be living in one of the most beautiful parts of the world...

The Mannarashala Sree Nagaraja temple

Huge creepers supported by ropes

I am truly grateful that I could visit this historic temple of Mannarashala which still retains its old world charm and divinity. Although quite a bit of modernization has made its presence felt through improved facilities for the devotees who throng here, a good part of this holy abode of serpents still retain its original beauty thanks to the typical Kerala style architecture, wild growing trees and creepers growing undisturbed in sprawling 

acres of land since centuries! Not a root or branch or twig is allowed to be cut and if at all they cross across walk ways, they are given proper support so as to aid them to grow

undisturbed.

The powerful serpent deity, Sree Nagaraja is worshiped in the main temple along with Sree Sarpayakshi Amma. Smaller temples in the vicinity is dedicated to deities like Sree Naga Chamundi and Sree Nagayakshi. 

Serpent deities in granite found on the small boundary walls of the sacred woods

tortoises basking away lazily in the pond

The walk through the temple grounds through small pathways, either side of which exists thick, wild growing woods, was certainly fascinating. Small ponds were to be seen at certain places and in one such pond, we could find a lot of tortoises basking away in the sunlight which peeped in after a spate of heavy rain.

The temple pond

The sacred groves where trees and plants grow wild and undisturbed

A temple of a smaller serpent deity within the compound

A tree trunk that has fallen over the walkway, kept on supports

The temple pond surrounded by trees.. another view

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A small shop within the temple compound which caters to tourists

The 'Mana' within the temple compound where the Valliya Amma lives.

What predominantly differentiates this temple from others is the presence of a women priestess (called 'Valliya amma')who heads it and who leads the various poojas and rituals in the temple. The eldest daughter in law of the family inherits this revered position. 

The legend behind this can be found at the website of the temple. 

The 'prasadam' counter

'Navoru pattu' in progress

Devotees throng the the temple to seek the blessings of the Serpent lord

The huge tree within the temple which has been existing there since centuries

The 'vazhipadu' counter outside the temple

The temple pond as seen from outside. It was filled with crores of fishes!

The bower which  has acquired its shape through the ages

The Sree Nagaraja temple, Mannarashala

The  Nagalinga tree with its fruits shaped like clay balls.

I wish i could have stayed there the whole day, drinking in the raw and rustic beauty of the quaint temple steeped in mythological tales, and its wild natural premises... but return I must, to the lap of civilization, where I need to go through the cycle of Karma that is assigned to me in this lifetime. But it is with renewed vigour and a peace filled mind that I retrace my steps, and my heart reverberates  with an unspoken promise that I will be back again some other day... some other time...