Koliyoor Shankaranarayana Temple

Koliyoor Shankaranarayana Temple

Koliyoor Shankaranarayana Temple is situated at Meenja Village near Manjeshwar in Kasaragodu district, Kerala. It is famous for the Tulabharam ritual. The Tulabharam in the shrine is observed with rice.

The main idol of the temple is Shankaranarayana. In the Shrikovil of the temple, there are three idols believed to be of Lord Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Since Lord Brahma is not worshipped, the idol of lord Ganapati is worshipped here. The main offering is uncooked soaked rice. Everyday a Brahmin is fed and that is the worship to Brahma. We can recollect that the Adi Daivam of Tulu Nadu Bermer has been given the Brahma Samaradhane.

The Upa Devatas in the temple are Malaya Daivam and Kuruthi. The moolasthanam of the temple is a pond located below Meethakoliyur Kunnu. It is believed that when the Trimurtis were bathing in the pond, their feet struck a tortoise and blood oozed out. It is also believed that Naga, Gulikan and Rakteshwari are present on the banks of the pond.

The history of this temple has a few different folds..

The Ullalti Bhoota worships the God of Koliyoor and gets a male child in a super natural realm. Later he becomes a deity under the name of Bantalva and gets worshipped at Kutt-tajje, Nadibailu, etc.

Regarding Tulabharam

While tying the load of Tula Bhara, the Melantar of Nadibailu clan is given special respect. It is told that in the past, when the Tula Bhara Seva was going on, the bar of the Thole broke. The Melantar present at that time shouldered the load and avoided the danger. Therefore their family is respected even today.

There is a popular legend about the name Koliyoor for this temple and town. While digging a well for the temple, water couldn’t be found. The work was going on in vain. Finally, one morning a cock crows and water was located. It is also said there were rows of Goli trees in this area. So the scholars are of the opinion that Goliyur became Koliyoor overtime.

According to history, a husband and wife named Kuruva-Kurutti belonging to the Koraga community came and took shelter near the temple. One day a tortoise was seen in the pond. Though there was a ban that no one should catch fish or tortoises from the pond, the Kurutti kills the tortoise and blood oozed out. The Kurutti falls down and she becomes the deity standing on the upper side of the Koliyur temple. On seeing her, Lord Shankaranarayana orders her to sweep the temple premises and keep it clean. After that she comes to be known as Satyangala Kurutti.

There are no clear evidences to show that Kurutti Daiva and this Daivam are the same or different. The ban on catching tortoises, killing and eating them is still in practice and no one breaks it.

Nagapanchami is observed here. Also on Vrischikam one lakh deepam utsav is performed in the temple.