Thirunelly Temple

About Thirunelly Temple:

• It is an ancient temple dedicated to the Lord Maha Vishnu.
• Location: It is located on the sides of Brahmagiri Hill, a part of the Sahyadri Mountain Ranges in the Wayanad district of Kerala.
• It is also known as the Sahyamala Kshetram and Kashi of the South.
• It is the only temple in the world where the devotees can perform all the rituals related to one’s life, starting from birth to death and life after death.
• The rituals in this temple are performed on the banks of stream Papanashini, which originates from the Brahmagiri hills.
• Legend behind:
  • It’s an ancient temple where Lord Brahma is said to establish the idol of Lord Vishnu.
  • It’s believed that he found the idol on a gooseberry (amla) tree, locally known as nelli, thus giving Thirunelli its name.
• Architecture:
  • The temple embodies classical, traditional Kerala architecture.
  • The shrine is shielded with 30 granite columns, and the ground is paved with huge square pieces of granite.
  • The inner sanctum is surrounded by a tile-roofed structure, and there is an open courtyard around the Sanctorum.
  •  Along the outer wall of the temple is a cloister made of granite pillars cut in cubical style.
  • The main deity idol of the temple is in the form of Chathurbhuja – Lord Vishnu with his four hands.

Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH):

• INTACH is an autonomous non-governmental Indian non-profit society that seeks to preserve Indian culture and heritage.
• It was founded in 1984 with the vision to spearhead heritage awareness and conservation in India.
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• It operates through various divisions such as Architectural Heritage, Natural Heritage, Material Heritage, Intangible Cultural Heritage, Heritage Education and Communication Services (HECS), Crafts and Community Cell, Chapters, INTACH Heritage Academy, Heritage Tourism, Listing Cell and Library, Archives and Documentation Centre.

Q1) Where is Brahmagiri hills located?

It is located on the border between Wayanad District of Kerala state on the south and Kodagu District in Karnataka on the north side. The peak of the hill is well-forested and is rich in wildlife.

Source: Call to protect historically significant structures at Thirunelly temple

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