‘Prapancha Yagam’ at Pournamikavu in Kerala on Mar 31-Apr 6

Thiruvananthapuram:A seven-day ‘Prapancha Yagam’ will be performed at Pournamikavu Devi Temple, where 51 goddesses named after 51 Malayalam language alphabets were consecrated for the first time in India in 2021, here from March 31 to April 6.
Talking to newspersons here, Temple Trustee Bhuvana Chandran told newspersons on Thursday that Aghori saint, “1008 Maha Mandaleshwar Kailasapuri Swami of Kashi, will be the Chief Acharya of the Yagam.
The ‘Prapancha Yagam’ is being conducted for the first time in the history of Kali Yuga at Pournamikavu.. here, he claimed.
About 254 Acharyas from various ancient temples including Pashupatinath Temple in Nepal, Badrinath Temple, Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga Temple, Meenakshi Temple in Madurai, Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga temple, Kumbakonam Kumbheswara Temple, Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Maa Baglamukhi Temple, Suryakaladi Mana, 6 holy abode temples of Lord Muruga (Aarupadaiveedu), Thanjavur Brihadeeswarar Temple and Mookambika Temple, will also attend the Yaga.
For the Yagam, 12,006 clay bricks will be used to make the sx Homa Kundas. The offerings in these Homa Kundas will include the tolowing 1008 medicinal herbs, fruits and grains, tons of ghee, honey and spices, Sik garments, objects made ot precious metals like gold and silver.
Devotees participating in the Yagam can also make oferings to the Yagam using unaduterated sacrificial materials which will be available to purchase from the temple counter.
Earlier, a Maha Kalika Yaagam was performed here by the chief priests of the 51 Shaktipeeth temples and other ancient temples of India in 2022.
During the Yagam, a 5 feet tall single-stone idol of Goddess Saraswathi and idols of Lord Shiva’s Panjabhootha (five) Lingams will also be consecrated. The finest Salagrams brought from the Gandaki River in Nepal will be used for this Shivalinga Pratishtha.
For the Yaagam, 12,006 clay bricks will be used to make the six Homa Kundas. The offerings in these Homa Kundas will include the following: 1008 medicinal herbs, fruits and grains, tons of ghee, honey and spices, silk garments, objects made of precious metals like gold and silver.
The speciality of Pournamikavu Devi Temple, situated at Vizhinjam in Kerala is that it opens only on ‘Pournami’ (Full Moon day) of every month.
The temple, situated 17 km from Thiruvananthapuram, has India’s largest Panjamukha Ganapathi idol carved out of ‘Krishnashila,’ in a single stone.
According to history, Pournami Devi was worshipped by Ay dynasty as their war-goddess (the ‘Padakaali Amma’ having five forms Bala Bhadra Devi, Soumya Bhadra, Veere Bhadra, Shoora Bhadra, Samhara Bhadra).
The Ay kingdom functioned as a buffer state between the powerful Pandyas/Cholas (Tamil Nadu) and the Cheras (Kerala) in the medieval period.
Vizhinjam was the administrative capital of Ay kingdom, which is believed to have ruled over parts of the southern India between the 8th and 10th centuries A.D.
It is believed that Ay kingdom had established an educational centre known as Kanthalloor Salai, which is believed to be existed between the 9th and 10th centuries.
The region had witnessed several battles in which the Chola and Pandya dynasties attempted to gain control of the port town. Later, Vizhinjam gradually lost prominence after the 10th century after coming under constant attack of the other kingdoms.
Ay dynasty was an Indian Yadava or Ayar ruling lineage which controlled the south-western tip of the peninsula, from the early historic period up to the medieval period.
The clan traditionally held sway over the harbour of Vizhinjam, the fertile region of Nanjinad, and southern parts of the spice-producing Western Ghat mountains. The dynasty was also known as Kupaka in medieval period.