Nobody can make a guess about the age of this kshetram. The Deva prasnam showed it must be at least 1000 years old. It has a round Sreekovil.In the very olden days when the temple was the centre of religion, culture and government, Valluvakonathiri (the King of Valluvanad) entrusted the temple to one of his chieftains, a Nair belonging to Kodakkad Tarwad.

During his trusteeship of the temple, the Nair wanted the Trikkekad Swamiyar of Thrssivaperur Madham(Established by Sankaracharya of Kaladi)to visit the temple. Normally the Swamiyar did not stay in the nights at a place not belonging to him. Hence Kodakkat Nair vacated a house for Thrikkekat Swamiyar’s stay and the Trikkekat Swamiyar visited the temple with all his entourage.

Impressed by the spiritual greatness of the Swamiyar, Kodakkat Nair donated the temple to him along with all its properties. At that time the income of the temple was about 6000 paras of paddy(about 5 lakhs of rupees at the present rate)and the temple was maintained well till the Kerala land legislation disrupted this system.

Even now the temple belongs to the Swamy and his successors donate an amount regularly towards its upkeep. The balance funds required by the temple come from offerings by the local people. It is said that in olden times, a lamp used to be carried from Kootil Temple daily to Maniyedath Temple (another ancient temple which is being renovated now and which is about 1 km from Kootil Temple)  for lighting the lamps there.

Narayanath (Narass) Namboothiri is the Thanthri of the temple. Once a Kanipayyur Namboodri ( a cousin of Kanipayyur Sankaran Namboodripad) had visited the temple and after examining the architecture and geometry of the temple stated that it is one of the perfect ones he has seen (a Poorna Kshetram).

The main Deity in the temple is Siva. The Upadevas are Thirumandhamkunnilamma, Sastha, and Ganapathy. Many people from places like Kochi and Travancore visit the temple saying that Kootil Siva is their Bharadevatha.

At the north end of the temple there is a well about which people believe there is a Bhootha (spirit)in it.

The important functions at the temple are Onam, Vishu, Thiruvathira etc. The temple gets a small annuity which is inadequate for its upkeep. The public near the temple donate liberally and recently the temple has been renovated.

For details about offerings at the temple and for sending donations please write to Manager, c/o Punnappuzha Namboothiri, Kootil, post Mankada, Malappuram District, Kerala. PIN - 679 324.

The temple is about one kilometre from the market at Mankada which is on the Palghat-Manjeri-Calicut highway, about 10 km from Perinthalmanna and 16 km from Manjeri. There is a motorable road up to the temple and taxis and autorikshaws are available at Mankada.

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Following the example of Adi Sankaracharya who installed four Madhas at the four corners of Bharatvarsha, Trikkekad Swamiyar established four Madhas in Kerala out of which three were at Trichur and the fourth at Palghat.

These were 1.Thekke Madham 2. Natuvil Madham 3. Vadakke Madham and 4. Trikkaikatu Madham. The fourth Madham was at Palghat. This Madham has also a branch at Moonjira which is in Tamil Nadu, near Padmanabhaswamy Temple at Thiruvananthapuram. There is a temple complex called Mitranandapuram Temple Complex near the Padmanabhaswamy Temple and the Moonjira Swamiyar has been given quarters there, alongwith the right to do Pushpanjali at Mithranandapuram Temple. All of them were from Namboodri families and were entitled to carry “Dandu” (Similar to Sankaracharya of Kanchi, Sringeri etc)showing thereby that they have spiritual power and authority. These Madhams had plenty of landed properties, before the land legislation in Kerala.

 

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