This temple, which is also regarded as the largest in Kerala, contains more than 100,000 snake statues. The rituals are carried out by a Brahmin priestess, which distinguishes this festival from others in India where priests are often men.
Dates & Location of the Mannarasala Ayilyam Festival
The Ayilyam festival is held every year in the month of Thulam, which often falls in October or November (according to the Malayalam calendar used locally). On this day, a lot of people visit the temple, both visitors and believers. For couples struggling with infertility, the temple is of great significance. The turmeric paste sold at the shrine is said to have healing properties by devotees. The local government frequently declares a holiday so that people can observe and participate in the celebrations of this religious event.
Mannarasala Ayilyam's History
The celebration has long been a part of Mannarasala's regional culture. Legend has it that Lord Parshurama constructed the Shree Nagaraja Temple. Initially, Lord Parshuram designated a local priest from Irinjalakuda Gramam to carry out daily rituals and ceremonies. He spent his entire life serving a snake lord, but after a while, a fire started in the area around the temple's woodland. Many forest snakes perished from the heat during this crisis, and many more were hurt. The priest's spouse provided motherly care for the remaining snakes in the forest. She had a dream in which Lord Nagaraja, pleased with her devotion, told her that he would be born from her womb.
She gave birth to twins a short while later, one of whom was Lord Nagaraja. Although the two brothers were raised together, Lord Nagaraja eventually attained samadhi. He designated his mother as the temple's priest before vanishing into the Illom's underground cellar and gave her instructions on all the rites that needed to be performed there. Since then, all religious rites are performed by a brahmin woman who has been appointed to this post. On this day, locals believe that praying to Lord Nagaraja will erase Sarp Dosha and grant childless couples the blessing of having children.