Kalady
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| Kalady | |
  Kalady
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| State - District(s) |
Kerala - Ernakulam |
| Coordinates | |
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| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
| Population - Density |
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Kalady (Malayalam: കാലടി) is a village located at 10.02 North and 76.20 East on the right of Periyar (Poorna) river, in the Ernakulam district of Kerala state, South India. Kalady is an important pilgrimage center, as it was the birthplace of Sri Adi Sankara, one of India's foremost philosopher saints who preached the monastic or Advaita philosophy.
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[edit] History
The name Kalady in the local language Malayalam means "feet." There is a legend behind this name. Previously, this place was called "Sasalam." One day, Sankara Aryadevi's widowed mother fainted while walking the 3 km to her daily bath in the Poorna river. Feeling helpless, little Sankara took refuge with his beloved Lord Krishna, who was his ancestral deity. The tears of the child moved the Lord, who blessed him thus: "The river will flow where your little feet marks " ("Kalady varayunnidathu Nadi Gathi aavum "). (Kalady; from Malayalam / Tamil: kaal - leg/feet, adi - Bottom) . The innocent little boy marked with little feet before his very lord and the mighty river Periyaar took its new course where his feet had marked. That place became 'Kalady and the blessed lord Kalady appan, Lord of Kalady. The river Poorna - Periyaar - thus started flowing through Little Sankara's home garden. Sankara then istalled Lord Krishna into the present temple and marked the occasion by reciting his famous "Átchutha Ashtakam." Thus 'Kalady' signifies the love of an innocent child for his beloved mother and the blessings of Lord Krishna.
[edit] Shankara
Adi Shankara was born in Kalady as the only son of Sivaguru and Aryamba, a Namboothiri couple. Shankara's shrine at Kalady, run by the Sringeri Math, is a large, partly open structure situated right on the northern bank of the river Periyar or Purna. Of the two major shrines within, one is dedicated to Sri Sankaracharya and the other to Goddess Saradamba, the main deity of Sringeri. The samadhi of Sri Sankara's mother, Aryamba, is also located here. A small shrine to Vinayaka, or Ganapati, is the scene of evening prayers, chanted to the rhythmic ringing of cymbals. The worship in these temples is done by Tamil or Kannada Smartha Brahmins and not by Nampoothiris.
[edit] Sri Krishna Temple
West of the Sringeri Mutt temples is a temple dedicated to Sri Krishna. This temple in verse 243 of Prabodha Sudhakaram of Sree Sankara Acharya is marked as Kula deva, i.e. ancestrial deity. The temple is under Kalady Devaswom, under trusteeship of two Namboothiri families who had close associations with the life and history of Sankara. The very place name Kalady is the Lord Krishna's blessing for the innocent child Sankara's love towards his mother Aryadevi. This temple is the one and only institution surviving from the times of Sankara . The worship in this temple also is done by Namboothiris. Details can be had at [1] www.thrikaladyappan.com
[edit] Thekke Madhom
Thekke madhom is just adjacent to Sri Krishna Temple. It was founded by Sree Sankara Acharya at Trichur. To give respect to Sree Sankara Acharya this Mutt was given special Archana rights at Sri Krishna Temple - the temple of the ancestral deity of Sankara, in 825 CE. To facilitate this leasehold property (Kana Pattam), lands were provided by Kalady Devaswom. This Mutt was given Kingship rights of Kalady in 1730, marking the area as "Sankara Sanketham." This was the only Mutt of Sree Sankara tradition which respected Kalady for centuries and sanctified the place. Now the area is taken on lease by Sree Sringeri Mutt which also runs a Vedic school there.
[edit] Aryadevi Samadhi Mandapam
A spot dedicated to the Mother of Sree Sankara Acharya, Aryadevi, as her cremation spot is seen within the Sree Sringeri Temple groups. On the demise of his beloved mother, her cremation was performed by Sree Sankara, assisted by two of the ten Namboothiri families of Kalady. The spot was maintained with offerings of daily lamps of respect for centuries by Kappilly Mana, one of two namboothiri families who assisted in her cremation. The Travancore Highness acquired the whole area from Kappilly Mana about a hundred years ago and handed over to the Sree Sringeri Mutt, which now maintains the spot with great respect.
[edit] 3 Ancient Ghats
1. The spot where at river took its turn and Kalady was born. It also was the spot where at Sankara had done first “Aaraattu “(River bath of an idol) for his ancestral deity before installation to the present spot. For centuries in yearly festivals of Lord of Kalady Sree Krishna, the “Aarattu is being conducted at this Ghat.
2. ”Muthala Kadavu “ – Crocodile Ghat – the Ghat where in Sankara's life took another turn to Sanyasam (Ascetic life). Mother Aryadevi was not agreeing to the wish of her only son little Sankara to become a sanyasin. One day mid noon Sankara was touched by a dog and as per community custom Sankara had to take bath. Accompanied by mother Sankara went to River Periyar for taking bath. There a crocodile caught him and the drowning boy asked his mother to permit him for sanyasm so that the crocodile may leave him. Helpless mother agreed and crocodile freed the child. Then he took ÁApat sanyasam‘'. The Ghat thereafter was called crocodile (Muthala in Malayalam / Tamil) Ghat.
3. The Ghat where in Sree Sankara Acharya had done the Ápara Kriyas (the rituals after death and cremation as per Nambudiri rituals) for mother Aryadevi when she passed away after her due cremation with help of just two out of the 10 nambudiri families of Kalady. Now the Ghat is within the temple complex of Sree Sringeri Mutt. The acquisition order Diwan Madhawarayer for Travancore highness (king of the land a century back) makes the situation clear.
The beauty is that the above 3 adjacent ghats lay west to east in chronological order .
[edit] Ramakrishna Advaita Ashram
The Ramakrishna Advaita Ashram, not far from the Sri Krishna temple, has a spacious prayer hall and a shrine modelled on the Sri Ramakrishna temple at Belur Math. The Ashram also runs a school, a charitable dispensary and a library.
[edit] Sri Adi Sankara Keerthi Sthambam
Not far from the Ramakrishna Ashram, from the top of the tall 8-storey-high brilliantly painted pink memorial, sits the Sri Adi Sankara Keerthi Sthambam, built by Kamakoti Mutt. The entrance to the memorial, guarded by two elephant statues, leads to the Paduka Mandapam which has two silver knobs representing the 'padukas' or wooden sandals of the Teacher. The walls of the memorial have framed relief paintings narrating the story of Adi Sankaracharya. Several large statues of Ganapati, Adi Sankara and others are also housed in this memorial. Adi Sankara's shrines in Kaladi are open to all pilgrims irrespective of religion or caste.
[edit] Festivals
Sankara Jayanti is celebrated for 5 days in April/May every year. The celebtation includes several religious rites. Navaratri is celebrated for 9 days during September/October) with music concerts, chariot festival, 'rathostavam' and other festivities.
The annual festival of the Lord of Kalady — Lord Krishna Thrikalady appan — falls on January 6th (Thiruvonam star of Makaram). One distinct activity is that The AAraatu of Lord Krishna (the river bath) has been taking place for centuries in the Holy Ghat where Kalady was born. It is also notable that the first Aarattu was done by Sree Sankara himself.
[edit] Around Kalady
One kilometer north of Kalady is the Manickamangalam temple, dedicated to Bhagavathi or Goddess Durga. Father of Sree Sankara Shiva Sharman Namboodiri was the Priest in this temple. One day he could not go by himself and sent Sankara with a measure of milk as offering to Devi. Little Sankara noticed that even after the offering, the measure of milk before Devi remained unchanged. He was sad and started to cry. Devi took pity on the boy and drank the milk. References to the deity can be found in Soundarya Lahari.
Two kilometers west of Kaladi is Vellamanthulli temple. The installation of the deity was done by Siva Sarman namboodiri - father of Sree Sankara. For the aged couples after prayers at Lord Shiva of Vadakkum nathan Temple at Vrisha mooka chalam — Thri Siva peroor — about 30 km north of Kalady Sankara was born . As the couples became still older they could not walk the whole distance, but still wanted to have darshan of the Lord. So Shiva appeared in dream and suggested Shiva sarman nambudiri to follow a dancing white deer which will apear before his house next day and will find an idol where it disappears just worship that and no need to walk the whole distance . The dream became true and This Siva temple "Thiru Vella Man Thulli" (meaning in Malayalam / Tamil - dancing white deer suggesting the incident) was thus installed by Sree Sankara's father.
Nayathodu Sankara Narayana Temple just 3 km west is an example of Advaitam in worship by Sankara Acharya . Once he prayed Shiv the deity in the temple with Vishnu Manthram and Vishnu also started to reside in same idol. Even now after first offerings to Shiva everything is removed off and offerings to Vishnu made in same idol. Father of Sree Sankara — Sivasarman Nambudiri — was The Priest of Karpillykavu Shiva temple, just 8 kms to the south at Manjapra.
Eight kilometers away is Malayattoor church, and Kallil Temple sits 22 km away.
[edit] Education
- Sree Sankara Sanskrit University is located at Kalady.
- There is a College "Sree Sankara College" named after Sankarcharya at Kalady.
[edit] How to reach
Cochin International Airport, Nedumbassery is the nearest airport just 10 km away from Kalady. Angamaly 10 km away, or Aluva 22 km away, are the nearest railway stations which are connected to major Indian cities. Buses and taxis are available from Angamaly to Kaladi. Kaladi is connected by public transport system with important towns in Kerala including Thrissur, Thiruvananthapuram, Palakkad and Kozhikode.
