Trichambaram - Krishna Ambalam

The Temple

The small but sublime shrine of Trichambaram was compared, to a rose flower by a great devotee, for its special spiritual fragrance emanating from its hoary antiquity. The singularity of this shrine lies in its plan. The holy Srikoil is square in shape and has a huge mandapa just in front of it. The two-storeyed main shrine is adorned with a projecting gables and a shining Kalasam atop. The walls of the Srikoil are beautified with mural paintings and wood carvings. They illustrate several episodes from Bhagawata and other scriptures. Another worth-seeing object in the campus is the Durga shrine built in the central part of a pond lying to the north of the main entrance. The tank is held in high esteem; for, it has mystical powers. It never goes dry - the water level remains same in all seasons. The thirtha is holy and people are prohibited from using it either for bathing or washing. The loveliness of this little Pushkarini increases in the nights, when it reflects the oil lamps fit around the temple. For availing this spectacle, devotees prefer visiting it in nights.

An Ilanji tree lying on the south side of the tower is imbued with mystical powers. It tells an interesting story and bends the heads of the visitors. Incidentally it focuses light on the sanctity of every object exuding divinity, and the Lord's infinite mercy for his bhaktas. According to the word current here, once a man afflicted with an incurable skin disease came here and started praying to Lord for cure, when every doctor tried and failed at curing. Being a man of great faith in God, he used to sit on the platform beneath that Ilanji tree for meditation from the opening of the temple doors to the closing, till late in the night. He did this for long. One day a fruit from the branches fell on him and it upset him terribly. Then he complained to the Lord as to why he did not shower blessings on him - cure his ailment despite praying for long. He wailed bitterly due to pain. The lord hear. soon there was a miracle. He was cured. More than that the tree stopped bearing fruit. Why? How could a tree worry a true devotee ? Should it go scot-free ? No. Lord Krishna held the scales even. Isn't non-bearing a sin? Yet, it is this tree that liberated that bhakta, hence during the temple festival, the priest carrying the Utsavamurti on his head dance round the tree in token of obeisance. It is at this time, devotees keep a ring on a leaf before the spot of salvation and offer prayers, presuming that Lord would lift them from difficulties as he did in the case of that bhakta.

Archamurthi

This august mulavirat is made of stone, and he flashes lustrous smiles reflecting the inexplicable inner joy at completing the task for which he was born. This jubilant aspect indeed hypnotizes the beholders and bends their heads in veneration unknown to themselves. This particular mood prolonged not because he killed Kamsa, but the liberation he granted to his grand father Ugrasena and parents Devaki and Vasudeva. Moreover, his joy at killing the renowned wrestlers and the royal elephant too is reflected from every feature of his Jaganmohanarupa. Hence it is by all counts supreme, peerless and measureless. That joy is depicted in all. At all times. This belief is ratified by two more evidences found here. The Lord's joy was so infinite that it transcended all the limits and restrictions - the age-long traditions prescribed for proper molding of mind. The custom of offering Naivedyam here is in contradiction to the prevalent one in temples all over the land. After elaborate rituals lasting for hours, naivedyam is offered and that marks the close of further rituals. But here the priests offer it without attending even to the Nirmalya ritual. Why? The Lord's hunger was so keen and filling the stomach was so demanding that he did not like delay, nor stand formalities. Has not he exhausted all his superabundant energy to killing the elephant, wrestlers and formidable Kamsa ? So the practice is praise-worthy. Another! prohibition of elephants in the premises. The Lord developed resentment for elephants, the movement the royal elephant charged him at the instance of Mohut, of course, by Kamsa in fact. If any pachyderm appears here, it bites the dust invariably. Nithyanaimithika worship is carried on with great pomp and splendour. And it is on par with the famous Guruvayur Krishna temple.

It lies near Badagara, one of the famous towns in Kerala, accessible by four wheelers.

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