Panniyur Sri Varahamurthy Temple

Panniyur Sri Varahamurthy Temple, located about 15 kms south of Kuttipuram Town in Palakkad-Kerala.The presiding deity is Lord Varahamurthy – the third reincarnation of Lord Vishnu who is positioned with Goddess Bhumi after killing Hiranyaksha.Panniyur Varahamurthy Temple is believed to be the first temple in Kerala consecrated by Sage Parashurama, around 4000 years ago.

According to the legend the famous architect Perunthachan had a plan to build this temple with amazing beauty and splendor that no other temple n this region could match. Lord Indra, the god of rain was quite envious and kept troubling the architect to make any further progress. The demigod’s perpetual attempt succeeded and the temple was never finished and visitors could see unfinished structures on the temple premises even today. Normally worship of deities is conducted only in fully completed temples and tradition has it pujas are not allowed in incomplete temples. The exception being Panniyur Sree Varahamurhy temple.

History
Following his victory over the Kshatriyas, Parashuram had donated all that he had won to Kashyap. He had then sought a piece of land to carry out his meditation, and so he had pulled out a small fragment of land from the sea for the purpose. History claims that this small fragment of land is what exists now as Kerala. Eventually Parashuram’s piece of land had begun rising and expanding. Disturbed, Parashuram had sought Narada’s help. Narada had advised him to pray to Lord Vishnu. And so Parashuram had begun his meditation in order to propitiate Lord Vishnu. Finally Vishnu had appeared before him and had said, “Once I had assumed the form of Varahamurthy to save the world. Worship that form of mine and this place will have the blessings of ‘Thri Murthy’.”

Heeding Vishnu’s advice, Parashuram had established Shri Varahamurthy at the centre of his land fragment and had built a temple to house it. He had also duly initiated all worship activities there. It is that divine temple which is the Panniyur Mahakshetram of today.

Among the different pujas conducted here the most important one happens to be the ‘Abhishta Sidhdhi Puja’.SANDHYA DEEPARADHANA’ is considered as the most auspicious time to seek the blessings of Sri Varahamurthy. Covered in sandalwood paste and adorned in scintillating jewellery, the divine form of Sri Varahamurthy is for every mind to embrace and seek solace with.