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Untold history of Kunnathambalam or Kunnath temple in Manjeri.

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Untold history of Kunnathambalam or Kunnath temple in Manjeri. Perched on a hilltop in the city of Manjeri, located in Malappuram district, Kerala lies the charming ancient temple called Mu-thru-kunnathu bhagavathy temple fondly known as Kunathambalam or Kunnath Temple. This temple belonged to the Manjeri Kovilakam, royal residence of a branch of the Zamorin (Samoothiri) dynasty, who ruled the Malabar region for centuries. The prominence of the Zamorins is noted in historical records, including the writings of the famed 13th-century traveler Ibn Battuta . Manjeri, located in Kerala’s Malappuram district, is a town rich in history, its legacy stretching across countless generations. Ancient rock-cut caves, discovered throughout the region, reveal signs of human life dating back to the Stone Age, offering a timeless connection to our earliest ancestors. The historic Manjeri Kovilakam, once a royal seat of the Zamorins of Calicut, stands as a reminder of the town’s deep ties to Malabar’s...
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Sacred Groves. Do you know what they are?

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Poyil Kavu Durg Bhagavathy temple In the district of Kozhikode in Kerala India, there is a temple named Poyil Kavu in Chemmenchery, close to Koyilandi.  Once I stepped into the gate of that temple, I was shocked. There lied before me a dense forest in the middle of a sprawling town. The trees towered above, their branches twisting and gnarled like grasping fingers. A thick carpet of leaves muffled my footsteps as I made my way deeper into the woods towards the temple. Huge roots crisscrossed the sandy ground. I was astounded by the enormous canopy that cast a light in shadows. All but a few rays of sunlight were severely blocked from reaching the ground by the thick canopy of trees. I stood, dumbstruck and speechless. A 20-acre ancient dense forest of that size managed to withstand the relentless assault of urbanization? How and why? As usual, curiosity made me want to know more about it and what I found out was even more astounding. Similar to early 20 th century when US Presi...
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Ayurveda my personal experience.

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  Ayurveda my personal experience. When I recently went to Kottakkal Arya Vaidya sala for my yearly treatment, I received a very shocking news. One of my favorite masseuses commented "You have something buried deep within your chest, Chechi. It is larger than a mustard seed but smaller than a pepper corn". "Please check it out" she insisted and then pressed it hard to show me and I let out a painful cry! One of my favorite masseuses at Arya Vaidya sala, has a knack of finding unusual lumps or bumps deep in the body, removing them with consistent daily massages. Arya Vaidya Sala meticulously trains their massage therapists. They are trained to monitor any unexpected occurrences and have a thorough understanding of each part of your body. The majority of those who gave me massages have 12-16 years of experience. They work in excellent conditions and receive good remuneration and benefits as Arya Vaidya Sala employees. Every few years or so, they...
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My Grandfather's role in Kerala Piravy (Foundation) Day

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As we commemorate Kerala Piravi Day today  November 1 st 2023, I feel incredibly proud of my grandfather K Madhavan Nair, who had a major role to play in its inception. Kerala was split between the autonomous regions of Malabar, Cochin, and Travancore before this merger. From Trichur to Kasargod, the northernmost parts of Kerala were part of the British Malabar Presidency. The southern part was governed by the sovereign State of Travancore, while the middle section was controlled by the princely State of Cochin. At the 1920 All India National Congress meeting in Nagpur, when discussions were taking place to strengthen the local Congress chapters on linguistic basis, my grandfather, the leader of the Malabar Pradesh Congress took the podium. He spent hours arguing that fundamental states like Kerala should be included in the struggle for independence and that Travancore, Cochin, and Malabar should be united into a single Congress party that would be known as Kerala Congress and...
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A journey through the Scientific and Spiritual aspects of a Hindu temple

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Underlying principle in a Hindu temple is the belief that all things are one, that everything is connected. Ancient temples welcome you through 64-grid or 81-grid mathematically structured spaces, a network of art, pillars with carvings and statues that display and celebrate the four important and necessary principles of human life – the pursuit of artha (prosperity, wealth), kama (pleasure, love), dharma (virtues, ethical life) and moksha (release, self-knowledge). At the center of the temple, typically below and sometimes above or next to the idol, is mere hollow space with no decoration, symbolically representing  Purusa , the Supreme Principle, the sacred Universal, one without form, which is omnipresent, connects everything, and is the essence of everyone. A Hindu temple is meant to encourage reflection, facilitate purification of one's mind, and trigger the process of inner realization within.  The specific process is left to the devotee's school of belief....
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