Shri Indilayappan Temple Nariyapuram

History

Indilayappan temple of Valaya Vadakku-Kaipattoor is one of the oldest and most famous Indilayappan temples of Kerala located at Nariyapuram in Pathanamthitta district. The temple is the abode of Lord Indilayappan the incarnation of two divine powers of Lord Shiva and Lord Dharma Shastha .Situated in the back drop of scenic beauty and adorned by sacred grove, all weather clear water ponds and vast ever green meadow, the temple is an embodiment of serenity and peace. Seated in the lap of Mother Nature, the deity is in the form of a natural grown black rock. The deity has free access to sunlight ,air, rain,mist and dew. This is made possible by leaving the overhead portion of the Sreekovil open. Known as “Appooppan” to the people Lord Indilayappan is the provider and protector of all living and non living things. Hundreds of people share their sorrows and joys with their “Appooppan” everyday. His benevolent grace covers everything and everybody. It is said that many people have seen him as a tall, muscular, proud old man attired in saffron who has guided weary travellers during nights in yester years. Many people said to have witnessed the “Devapooja” a ritual conducted by super natural powers in the thickness of dark “amavasi” midnights.
History of the temple goes back beyond 1500 years. It is said that a poor Scheduled caste woman who went in the jungle to fetch fodder and firewood happened to sharpen her sickle on a projected natural grown black rock, blood oozed out from the rock indicating the divine presence. Astonished and alarmed the poor woman immediately brought the matter to the notice of village elders. Having heard about this, villagers from all walks of life gathered around the rock, cleared the jungle and worshiped the projected rock with wild flowers and cow milk. It is proved in the “devaprashanam” that the natural grown rock stood in the middle of a pond known as “Thodukulam”has godly powers , “devachaithanyam” of lord indilayappan, guarded by Ganapathi, Shasthavu ,Durga and MahaVishnu and protected by moorthi, yakshi, gandharvan, karimkalimoorthi, Brahmarakshas, Nagarajavu, Nagayakshi,Ghandakarna and Bhairava.

It is said that the great “vayalvanibham” (cattle and agrimela) presently held in Omalloor was once held in the Padayanical vayal the land of lord Indilayappan. During one of such melas one bull had gone berserk and had strayed into the Omalloor vayal. To the great astonishment of the on
lookers, an old, muscular tall gentleman wearing traditional attire of farmers “a mundu and a thorthu “appeared from nowhere and tethered the estranged bull in Omalloor Vayal and declared that the Rakthakanda swami of Omalloor wishes to relocate the cattle mela in that land and then mysteriously disappeared. Since then, this cattle and agricultural mela is continued Omalloor known as Omalloor Vayal Vanibham. There are many such stories handed down from generation to generation continue to exist which are believed to the core by the people

As far as the written history goes, the temple was owned and worshiped by Namboothiries of Maramattath Illam. After that it was owned and worshiped by Namboothiries of Kuttiyatanippurath Illam of Vayalavadakku. During the year 1985 the ownership had been handed over to NSS Thaluk Union Pathanamthitta.The temple is owned and functioned under the administrative control of NSS Taluk Union Pathanamthitta .An Advisory Committee drawn from the nearest NSS Karayogams is monitoring the day today activities of temple. The temple which was constructed once upon a time had met with ruins. The present generation took over the renovation programme keeping all the sanctity of the temple intact. It is beautifully renovated with Vasthusasthra and temple construction arts.
Presently plans have already been drawn to renovate the most reverend portion of the temple the Sanctum Sanctorum (Sreekovil). People of this area consider themselves as the luckiest among all other generations, since they could take part in the rare occasion of temple renovation programme. They whole heartedly support and participate in the programme .

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