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Mullakkal Rajeshwari Temple, Alleppey Overview

Mullakkal Rajeshwari Temple, also known as the Mullakkal Bhagwati Temple is situated on the main street of ‘Mullakkal Theruvu’ in Alappuzha district of Kerala. Built-in the traditional Kerala style architecture, the temple is accessible to people of all faiths, religions and castes. The charming temple boasts of a quaint little pond and well-maintained premises.

Graced with plenty of trees and pretty jasmine plants, the temple presents a picturesque landscape. The presiding deity being Goddess Rajeshwari (Durga Maa), the temple also hosts idols of other gods including Lord Krishna, Nagas, Ayyappa and Lord Hanuman. A big banyan tree shields the ‘linga’ of Lord Shiva for Darshana.

The temple is thronged by both tourists and devotees alike and is a popular tourism spot in Alappuzha. The premises boast of serenity and tranquillity; the shrine is an open roof structure and is called ‘sanctum sanctorum’. Some area of 20 ft. is roofed and covered and is used to shelter elephants which are used by the temple authorities for pooja purposes.

Festivals at Mullakkal Rajeshwari Temple

Mullakkal Chirappu Festival is the most prominent festival celebrated in the temple to mark the devotion to the presiding deity- Maa Durga. Held in the Vrishchikam month (mid November) of the Malayalam calendar, the festival is celebrated for 41 days, the last two days being the most important ones. The shrine and the entire area is lit up with lights and adorned with bunting and picture posters. Besides the cultural events, musical celebrations and festive vigour, around 3000 devotees sit down to a feast every day for all the 41 days. Several elephants are positioned at the spot to hold numerous processions in the city during the day and the all-around atmosphere reverberates with gaiety, opulence and festive fervour.

Navratri is another important event at Mullakkal temple. Celebrated in the month of November, the nine-day affair ends with grand beanfeast of Vijaydashmi and Mahanavmi. Elephants decorated gaudily are taken around the city with a big procession and hullabaloo to mark the eventful occasion. Several baby girls are given new clothes and are worshipped as a form of purity and divine Kumaris.

History of Mullakkal Temple

Several myths and stories are attached to this temple which is believed to be at least 500 years old. As per the most prominent story, the presiding idol of ‘Mullakkal Devi’ was brought here by a group of some exiled soldiers from Thekkumkur. Originally the idol was placed in the jasmine garden and later King Devanarayana built a shrine around it.

Another story suggests that during the conquest of Tipu Sultan, a group of Brahmins got the statue of Mata Annapurneshwari from the Malabar area and placed it amidst the pool of jasmines. They later built a temple for the idol. Till 1961, the idol that adorned the shrine was of Mata Annapurneshwari; however, a mentally unstable devotee once embraced the statue so hard that it had to be redone. Therefore, in 1962, a brand new idol of Mata Rajeshwari was placed in the sanctum and has been there ever since.

Best Time To Visit Mullakkal Rajeshwari Temple

The best time to visit this place is between September and December as it is the festive season in the temple. Navratri is celebrated in September, Thaipooyakavadi in November and Mullakkal Chirappu in December respectively. The temple is adorned with lights and diyas and the festivities at this time of the year, are in full bloom.

Tips For Visiting Mullakkal Rajeshwari Temple

1. The temple follows a proper dress code. Men are supposed to remove their shirts and vest before the temple. Women are supposed to dress in traditional clothes- sarees or north Indian suits.

How To Reach Mullakkal Rajeshwari Temple

The temple is situated in the heart of the city on Mullakkal road and can be reached in auto- rickshaws or private cabs. Alternatively, you can travel in one of the state-run buses.