Thiruvananthapuram: DD Malayalam had telecast live Kumbha Bharani 2014. The Live Telecast commenced on Thursday, March 6, 2014 at 4.00 p.m. from the Chettikulangara Sree Bhagavathi Temple.
The temple is a renowned temple of Kerala. It is located in Alapuzha District of Kerala, between Mavelikkara and Kayamkulam. Kettukazhcha is conducted every year. It is held on the Bharani Nakshathram day of Malayalam Month ‘Kumbham’.
Kumbha Bharani is a major festival of this temple and indeed of entire Kerala. The highlight of this festival is Kuthiyottam and Kettukazhcha. People from 13 karas of Chettikulangara will arrange for the construction of Kettukazhcha. Erezha South, Erezha North, Kaitha South, Kaitha North, Kannamangalam south, Kannamangalam North, Kannamangalam Pela, Kadavoor, Kannamangalam Anjilipra, Mattom North, Mattom South, Mattom Menampally, Mattom Nadakkavu are Them.
Chettikulangara Sree Bhagavathi temple is one of the most renowned temples in Kerala. The temple is located at Chettikulangara in Mavelikkara taluk of Alappuzha district in the south Indian state of Kerala. The temple is situated about 4 km west of Mavelikkara, 7 km north of Kayamkulam on SH6 (Kayamkulam – Thiruvalla Highway).
An important aspect of the Chettikulangara Sree Bhagavathi temple is that the deity appears as Maha Saraswathi in the morning, as Maha Lakshmi at noon and Sri Durga or Bhadrakali in the evening.
The temple has 13 Karas (territories). The temple is at the centre of the oldest four Karas–Erezha South, Erezha North, Kaitha South and Kaitha North and the rest of the Karas Kannamangalam South, Kannamangalam North, Pela, Kadavoor, Anjilipra, Mattam North, Mattam South, Menampally and Nadakkavu surround this temple. The temple is said to be 1,200 years old.
Recently UNESCO collected details about the temple and its customs (Kuthiyottam, Kumbhabharani) for examining whether the temple is eligible for inclusion in World Heritage list.
This is the second largest temple in terms of income under the control of Travancore Devaswom Board, second only next to Sabarimala. It is estimated that the temple has earnings worth many crores per year. In 2009 it earned around Rs 1.7 crore from a single type of offering called Chanthattam. A major part of the Nellu offered to the Bhagavathi is also used to make Appam and Aravana prasadams at Sabarimala. The income from the temple helps in running the daily rituals and Poojas at various temples under the Travancore Devaswom Board.
