Famous Temples in India

Religious Significance

This legend is associated with Perumthachan. The royal sculpturist Perumthachan (The Master Carpenter) had a son who like him mastered and excelled in carpentry and architecture. His son soon excelled his own perfection. The fame of Perumthachan's son spread far and wide. This is said to have caused a sort of professional jealousy in Perumthachan. According to the Aithihyamala, Perumthachan dropped his chisel on his own son faking it as an accident. After the death of his son Perumthachan started wandering. One day he reached Kottarakkara. The Padinjattinkara temple was under renovation at that time. He saw a big piece of jack tree root inside the Sarppakkavu. It is believed that he sculptured a beautiful Ganapathy idol from the root of the jack tree. Perumthachan had seeked the permission of the tantri (chief priest) of Padinajattinkara temple to install the idol there. The tantri denied permission because there is already one Ganapathy idol. Hence Perumthachan changed his plans and later, having secured the permission of the tantri of Manikandeswaram temple installed the idol there. The melsanthi (head priest) was preparing nivedyam (offerings for the Lord) there. Perumthachan had studied the place and had found it ideal to install the deity there in the southeast direction. He had asked the head priest what the nivedyam for ganapathy will be. The priest suggested unniyappam and Perumthachan readily agreed. It is said that Perumthachan immediately offered half a dozen unniyappams in a plantain leaf before the deity. And still, koottappam is considered the favourite nivedyam of Ganapathy. Perumthachan had then predicted that even though the principal deity is father (Shiva), the son (Ganapathy) will become more famous.