Makreri Temple is thousands of years old. The temple is in Makreri (short for Markkadasseri) and 17.1 km from Thalassery. The main deity is the Valli Parinaya Subramaniyan (marriage of Subramaniyan and Valli). Here the chief priest (tantri) is Lord Hanuman himself. It is the only such temple in Kerala. Venkateswaran Dakshinamurthy, acclaimed musician, was a passionate devotee.
History
According to the temple mythology, Lord Hanuman installed the idol in Thretha Yuga. Since the supreme markkadan (monkey in Malayalam) consecrated the idol, the temple got the name of Markaddassery. Over time, devotees abbreviated it to Makreri. The temple pond is also age-old and the belief is that Lord Hanuman dug the pond with his tail.
Long ago, Siva had punished his son Subramanya for imprisoning Brahma in a cell. For that sin, Subramanya had to take the form of a serpent and live in an isolated well. He would be liberated from the curse by Sri Rama in Threta Yuga. To protect him from the sun and rain, other serpents stood over the well with raised hoods. The place where the serpents protected Subramanya is Peralassery, according to legends.
In Threta yuga Rama, Lakshmanan and Hanuman arrived at Peralassery during their exile (vanavasam). Rama observed the presence of Subramanya and absolved him of his sin. Later he decided to install a vigraham (idol) of Subramanya. Hanuman set off on a journey to bring the idol of Valli Parinaya Subramanyan which was on the banks of River Sarayu in North India. Since Hanuman could not make it back in time, Rama went ahead with the Prathishta using his Peruvala (big bangle). This is how the temple came to be known as Peruvalasherry. It was later shortened to Peralassery.
When Hanuman came back with the idol, Rama found a site to install the idol west of Peruvalasherry. The belief is that Hanuman does the poojas at Makreri temple. There is an idol of Hanuman with the prathista of Valli Parinaya Subramanya at the tantri sthanam (the place of the chief priest).
V. Dakshinamurthy’s Devotion
Makreri temple has a collection of Sri V. Dakshinamurthy’s awards. Sri Dakshinamurthy had decided to renounce the awards before the presiding deity of the temple. He bore the expense of constructing a Saraswathi Mandapam at Makreri temple. The mandapam is used for staging performances by children.
The Thyagaraja Akhanda Sangeetha Aradhana Yagnam at Sri Makreri Temple is an intense tribute to Saint Thyagaraja, a guiding light of Carnatic music. Sri V. Dakshinamurthy put in place the annual event which features non-stop renditions of Thyagaraja compositions. To honour his legacy, a museum near the temple displays the many awards that Swamikal received in his glittering career.
Deities
Devotees come to worship not only Hanuman but also Subramanya Swami, Lord Vishnu and Lord Ganapathi, seeking divine blessings and protection.
Festivals
Thaipooyam, the temple’s annual festival, occurs in the Malayalam month of Makaram (February-March). It draws crowds of worshippers who gather to honour the deity. The festival highlight is the spectacular Kavadi Attam dance which is preceded by a severe 41-day penance known as Kavadi Vratham. During this period, devotees wear Tulsi or Rudraksha malas, stick to a vegetarian diet, practise brahmacharyam and avoid travel. They also abstain from wearing footwear and shirts.
Getting There
Peralassery Temple to Makreri is 5.7 km (11 min) by car. The nearest airport is Kannur International Airport, 12.1 km (20 min) by road. Kannur Railway Station is at a distance of 19.9 km (40 min). Expansive free parking is available.
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