Sree Venkataramana Temple, Thayyil, Kannur

Sree Venkataramana Temple is located at Thayyil, a seashore colony of gsbs, in Kannur or Cannanore town. Kannur district lies next to the northern most district Kasargod of Kerala state and considered to be the commercial town of Malabar area. The Temple is less than half a km from both the Railway station and the Bus stand. The temple is believed to be about 350 years old. The temple and prathista are facing the east.

The deities in Sreekovil:

On a three tiered Simhasana are installed the following deities:
On the top tier is Lord Venkataramana with Laxidevi on the left and Bhoomidevi on the right sides.
On the second and third tier also there are idols of Lord Venkatramana and Laxmi-Bhoo-devi along with idols of Lord Narasimha.
There are also idols of Santhanagopala, Laxinarayan and Krishna in the srikovil.
The deities in srikovil are made of panchaloha. The shila idols of Hanuman and Garuda are installed outside the srikovil at the south-east and north-east sides respectively.

History

In the 18th century, Kannur was part of the kingdom of Arakkal Raja. The actions of Muslim pirates inhabiting the Kannur coast brought about a situation where the people of Kannur had to die of starvation. The Raja requested Sri Babani Shenoy from Goa who was having extensive rice trade with Tellicherry and plying his rice-loaded country crafts in the seas of Kannur. Thereupon, Shenoy opened pandikasalas or warehouses and started business in Kannur. The Raja gave 5 acres of freehold land as gift to Shenoy with a condition that he will distribute it among his business friends free to build up residential colony. During this period in the 17th century, Sri Venkatesh Bhat, who has been working as Archak at the Mangalore Venkatramana temple came to Kannur and settled there. He also brought a Venkatramana idol from there and installed at his house and worshipped. Since there was no common place of worship for the community members, Sri Venkatesh Bhat constructed a larger Bhajan cum Worship Hall near his house and shifted the Venkatramana idol to the Mutt for public worship. This place was later known as Venkatesh Bhat Mutt.

The mutt later developed into a temple for the gsb community. The temple authorities constructed a Marriage hall (Sukrithindra Kala mandir) in 1971 near the temple.

Devaprashna and Kumbhabhishekham:

The temple had been witnessing unfortunate incidents like theft in the temple, entry of a snake in the srikovil and the external interference in management of temple etc. The community became anxious and wanted to know the cause and find out the remedies.

Accordingly, a Deva Prashna was arranged at the temple premises on 23-6-1983. It was revealed that the temple at its current location is at a most sacred place, where Goddess Mahalakshmi had occupied the place long before. During Devaprashna it was also learned that Pretha Badha at this temple is causing troubles to the temple and to the devotees which has to be cleared by a Thila Homa.

It was indicated that the lost glory of the temple can be restored only by performing a Sahasra Kumbhabhishekham. This was performed in the presence of Srimat Sudhindra Tirtha Swamiji on 26-12-1986. The Devaprashna also indicated that a Lalki is to be constructed in place of the present unusable one in the temple. A new one was constructed at Mulki and transported to Kannur and submitted to the Lord on 8-11-1986. This Lalki was first used in the festival on the Sahasra Kumbhabhishekham day.
Source:http://www.gsbkerala.com/temple/kannur.htm