Sri Nellikulangara Bhagavathi Temple – Nenmara
Sri Nellikulangara Bhagavathi temple is a beautiful temple located in Vallanghi village of Chitur taluk in Palakkad District of Kerala.
The legend of goddess Sri Nellikulangara Bhagavathi temple is very interesting. This legend is communicated from one generation to the other and is centuries old. The legend is also mentioned in the religious text of the Nellikulangara temple.
Here is a brief description of the legend:
Once upon a time, a man by the name Kodakara Nair happened to go to Nelliyampathy hills from Nemmara. He got tired after reaching the Nelliyampathy hills and decided to take rest under the shade of a tree. He placed the umbrella that was made out of dry palm leaves next to him. Bhagavathi happened to abode the place where he was resting and attached herself to the umbrella. When Kodakara Nair returned to Nemmara, he did not realize that he was bringing the Bhagavathi to Nemmara.
When Kodakara Nair reached Nemmara, he placed the umbrella near a pond (the Kothakulam pond). Later, when he tried to remove the umbrella, to his dismay it did not move. Slowly it dawned upon the people that there is a divine power that has accompanied Kodakara Nair from Nelliyampathy hills and it wishes to stay and bless them.
A temple now called the Sree Moolasthanam was built at the place where the umbrella was placed by Kodakara Nair. People started worshipping the Bhagavathi and the Bhagavathi blessed her devotees.
Later as the years passed by, the astrologers and other renowned religious people in the area predicted Nellikulangara as a better place for the temple and a place of convenience for the devotees of both Nemmara and Vallenghi to reach. The Cochin Devaswom built a new temple, now known as the famous Nellikulangara Kaavu for the Bhagavathi there.
