It is a long wait in the bus stop at Kodungallur. The morning feel is fast fading as the summer heat is getting on us. How long we will have to wait? Will we reach our destination on time? Should we call off our plan? All kinds of thoughts are running through just as we saw the bus coming down in the nick of the time.
Yet again, as experienced an umpteen number of times, that eternal power pulls us back into the path of our life from the edge of our indolence. Once started, our journey was like a well orchestrated cruise! As soon as we reached Parur, we found our bus to Alvua. Getting down at Aluva came the bus to Kalady all in frequent succession. Just as the bus took the turn to the Aluva-Kalady road, the thoughts of summer heat evaporated out. It was pleasing journey along Periyar surrounded with rich flora as we reached our destination of the day, Chowarra Chidambareswara Temple - much earlier than expected.
Chowarra, though now a nondescript place, was once the summer capital of Cochin Kings who ruled this area. Cochin King Sri Rama Varma XV (1895-1914), known as Rajarshi established Chowarra Head Water Works in 1905 to purify and distribute the Periyar water for Cochin and Ernakulam. Once there was ferry service at Chowarra which connected Kochi and Travancore states. The railway at Chowarra was also made possible by the efforts of Cochin Royal Kings. King Sri Rama Varma XVII, known as Dhaarmika Chakravarthi, who passed away at Chowarra had written many anecdotes about Saktan Thampuran while being at Chowarra. His statue is the one which adorns the Tripunithura East side Junction.
None of those Royals insignia no longer exist now. Neither are there any royal summer homes. The thickening concrete structures around has its impact on the environment too. Yet only solace we felt is a certain degree of tenderness of all that bygone era!
In the legends, of the 64 villages created by Lord Parasurama, Chowarra is one village and is considered as an important one. The word "Chowaram" means the "Centre of Siva". In the 108 Sivalaya Stotra, the name comes in the second line - "Sucheendram Chowaram Mathoor Trippangotta atha Mundayoor". It is considered the "Chowaram" mentioned in the strotra refers to the present day Chowarra and Sivalaya here is the Chidambareswara Temple!
Chidambareswara is a very small temple situated along the roadside in a slightly lower plane. As we walk down, we find the entry to temple has been modified from what we had seen when we visited here around five years back. Though the historical details of this temple are not known, based on the presence of Cochin Kings in the surrounding areas in yesteryears, we can assume the Royal family had close connection with this temple.
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| The old entry to the temple. This is now renovated. |
It is considered the idol in this temple was brought from Chidarmbaram for consecration. The temple, irrespective of its name, is of small proportions and do not have any similarities to Chidambaram temple in the rituals or surroundings. Entry takes us along the Balikallu to the inside of the temple. Lord Siva is facing West and is considered as Kirathamoorthy. Only upadeva inside the temple is Lord Ganesha. On the outer side, there are Nagas. Two poojas are done daily in this temple. The festival is in the month of malayalam month Makaram (Jan-Feb). Currently the temple is handled by Cochin Devaswam Board.
We read the legendary Cochin King Saktan Thampuran was born at Vellarapally which we assumed to be around this temple. We wandered through those areas around Chowwarra and found a royal house which probably could be the birth home of Saktan?! We couldn't confirm it. The house we found is currently rented and the people occupying it have no idea about any of the history or mystery around it. Yes, it did disappoint our wandering history buff minds! But in all our uncertain trails of this kind we always remind ourselves - All those wander are not lost - especially those wanderers who are sparked and carried by that eternal power!
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