There are many legends about the ancient Nambiathrakkovval Siva temple, situated in the heart of Payyanur, the abode of Payyan (Subrahmanian). One of them is as follows:
In primeval times, a noble Brahmin(nambi- namboothiri), who was a great devotee of Lord Siva and a Vedic scholar, used to go on foot to the Sri Rajarajeswara temple at Talipparamba for the darshan of the lord. As days passed by, his routine journey to the temple became extremely strenuous due to age. But his ardent desire to worship Lord Shiva persisted unabated, and so one day he evoked the animus (chaithanya) of Shiva into his conch shell and started walking towards his home. On the way he had to attend a call of nature. He saw nearby a banyan tree and a pond, and he placed the conch safely under the tree and went about to relieve himself of the nature’s call. When he came back to the banyan tree after bathing in the pond, he found to his dismay the holy conch lying upside down with the holy water inside completely drained out. The present Nambiatharakkovval temple is situated where that holy water with the animus (chaithanya) of Lord Rajarajeswara fell to earth. Since the essential aura of Sri Rajarajeswara is present here too, Neyyamruth, Umamaheswara puja etc. are considered prime offerings. Devotees obtain similar blessings here as at Sri Rajarajeswara temple through worship and offerings. The Kovval(open area) where the animus of Lord Rajarajeswara fell to earth in the middle of the journey of the Nambi (Namboothiri) came to be known as Nambiathrakkovval alias Nambiathrakkovval.
This land belonged to a brahmin household (mana) from Payyanur village who were landlords of yesteryears. During an astrological investigation (Swarna Prashna) at the mana, they came to know about this place where the animus of Lord Rajarajeswara was set down. So they constructed an appropriate Siva temple here. An idol was installed and consecrated under the auspices of Tantri Sri Tarananellur. People were deputed for looking after the proper pujas and related matters at the temple. For a long time the temple remained renowned everywhere with its rituals and festivals like Prathishta Dinam, Mahasivarathri etc.
Tippu Sultan’s military invasion of Kerala in later years had its impact on this temple also. After the clashes, only the foundation of the sanctum sanctorum was left behind. The trunk of Ganapathi within and the buildings annexed were all destroyed. One can see its mark on the head of the Sivalinga here even today. Thereafter the temple remained without any rituals for a long period surrounded by thick bushes.
After a long period this sandy open area that belonged to the Rayaramangalath Mana of Payyanur village was cleared of the unwanted growths and the temple was recreated and renovated with a thatched roof erected on the foundation of the sanctum Sanctorum. Brahmins from Puthukkulam illam of Karnataka were brought in and appointed pujaris. They were provided with houses, bathing tank (Kulam) and farmland free of cost. For many years the temple prospered with proper pujas and festivals in this way. Then Sri Narayanan Thirumump became the head of Rayaramangalath Mana. He renovated the temple magnificently and on the 15th of Meda month of the Malayalam era 1122, the new temple was consecrated. The present sanctum sanctorum(sreekovil), Mandapam and the Chuttambalam were constructed at that time. A new idol of Ganapathi was installed in place of the old one with the broken trunk .Thus it became a complete temple with all the traditional tantric parts, and divine sanctity and prosperity.
This temple was the ceremonial starting point to Sabarimala pilgrimage for a large number of devotees of Lord Ayyappa every year. Consultation with renowned astrologers revealed the holy presence of the animus (chaitanya) of Lord Ayyappa on the premises, so it was decided to construct a separate shrine for Ayyappa on the western side of the Chuttambalam and an idol of Ayyappa brought from Ramanthali was installed here. In later years, the Ganapathi idol was reinstalled in the south western corner of the Chuttambalam, thus creating two sub temples within the campus.
Following the demise of Bhramhasri Narayanan Thirumunp, the administration of the temple fell in to the hands of various committees that ensured the multifaceted progress of the temple for about two decades. During this period the dining hall (Agrashala) and the outer compound wall were constructed and the temple tank was renovated. The comprehensive development of the temple and the increase in the number of employees and devotees led to the decision to hand over the temple to the Hindu religious endowment department. On the application of the hereditary trustee, on 13 Feb. 2006, the Hindu religious endowment department took over the administration of the temple. A governing board consisting of an executive officer, the hereditary trustee and four non-hereditary trustees was constituted to carry out the day to day administration. The major renovation of the temple tank was undertaken under the auspices of this trustee board. The grand Ashta Bandha Kalasha ceremony was carried out from 20th to 30th January 2006 (6th to 16th Makara, 1183) under the leadership of Brahamasri Thekkiniyedath Tarananallur Padnabhanunni Namboothirippad. The festivals of the temple and new construction activities are looked after by the committees formed under the supervision of the Devaswam authorities.
In primeval times, a noble Brahmin(nambi- namboothiri), who was a great devotee of Lord Siva and a Vedic scholar, used to go on foot to the Sri Rajarajeswara temple at Talipparamba for the darshan of the lord. As days passed by, his routine journey to the temple became extremely strenuous due to age. But his ardent desire to worship Lord Shiva persisted unabated, and so one day he evoked the animus (chaithanya) of Shiva into his conch shell and started walking towards his home. On the way he had to attend a call of nature. He saw nearby a banyan tree and a pond, and he placed the conch safely under the tree and went about to relieve himself of the nature’s call. When he came back to the banyan tree after bathing in the pond, he found to his dismay the holy conch lying upside down with the holy water inside completely drained out. The present Nambiatharakkovval temple is situated where that holy water with the animus (chaithanya) of Lord Rajarajeswara fell to earth. Since the essential aura of Sri Rajarajeswara is present here too, Neyyamruth, Umamaheswara puja etc. are considered prime offerings. Devotees obtain similar blessings here as at Sri Rajarajeswara temple through worship and offerings. The Kovval(open area) where the animus of Lord Rajarajeswara fell to earth in the middle of the journey of the Nambi (Namboothiri) came to be known as Nambiathrakkovval alias Nambiathrakkovval.
Tippu Sultan’s military invasion of Kerala in later years had its impact on this temple also. After the clashes, only the foundation of the sanctum sanctorum was left behind. The trunk of Ganapathi within and the buildings annexed were all destroyed. One can see its mark on the head of the Sivalinga here even today. Thereafter the temple remained without any rituals for a long period surrounded by thick bushes.
After a long period this sandy open area that belonged to the Rayaramangalath Mana of Payyanur village was cleared of the unwanted growths and the temple was recreated and renovated with a thatched roof erected on the foundation of the sanctum Sanctorum. Brahmins from Puthukkulam illam of Karnataka were brought in and appointed pujaris. They were provided with houses, bathing tank (Kulam) and farmland free of cost. For many years the temple prospered with proper pujas and festivals in this way. Then Sri Narayanan Thirumump became the head of Rayaramangalath Mana. He renovated the temple magnificently and on the 15th of Meda month of the Malayalam era 1122, the new temple was consecrated. The present sanctum sanctorum(sreekovil), Mandapam and the Chuttambalam were constructed at that time. A new idol of Ganapathi was installed in place of the old one with the broken trunk .Thus it became a complete temple with all the traditional tantric parts, and divine sanctity and prosperity.
This temple was the ceremonial starting point to Sabarimala pilgrimage for a large number of devotees of Lord Ayyappa every year. Consultation with renowned astrologers revealed the holy presence of the animus (chaitanya) of Lord Ayyappa on the premises, so it was decided to construct a separate shrine for Ayyappa on the western side of the Chuttambalam and an idol of Ayyappa brought from Ramanthali was installed here. In later years, the Ganapathi idol was reinstalled in the south western corner of the Chuttambalam, thus creating two sub temples within the campus.
Following the demise of Bhramhasri Narayanan Thirumunp, the administration of the temple fell in to the hands of various committees that ensured the multifaceted progress of the temple for about two decades. During this period the dining hall (Agrashala) and the outer compound wall were constructed and the temple tank was renovated. The comprehensive development of the temple and the increase in the number of employees and devotees led to the decision to hand over the temple to the Hindu religious endowment department. On the application of the hereditary trustee, on 13 Feb. 2006, the Hindu religious endowment department took over the administration of the temple. A governing board consisting of an executive officer, the hereditary trustee and four non-hereditary trustees was constituted to carry out the day to day administration. The major renovation of the temple tank was undertaken under the auspices of this trustee board. The grand Ashta Bandha Kalasha ceremony was carried out from 20th to 30th January 2006 (6th to 16th Makara, 1183) under the leadership of Brahamasri Thekkiniyedath Tarananallur Padnabhanunni Namboothirippad. The festivals of the temple and new construction activities are looked after by the committees formed under the supervision of the Devaswam authorities.