Melshanthi

Last updated

Melshanthi is the chief priest who performs day to day rituals in a Hindu temple in Kerala. This is not a hereditary right, unlike the position of the temple tantri who is the chief authority for rituals in a temple.

For example, at the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple, the Padi Pooja, Udayasthamana Pooja and Kalasa Poojas cannot be conducted unless the tantri is present during the ceremony.

Melshanti selection

In major temples such as Sabarimala and Guruvayur, the applicants are shortlisted by a preliminary interview by the members of the Devasom board. Out of the shortlisted candidates, one is selected by Lord's grace by a method which is just like a lucky dip. In this process, the names of each shortlisted candidate are written on a piece of paper and folded and deposited in a pot. Another ten pieces of paper are taken and on one paper the word 'Melshanthi' is written and the remaining 9 papers are folded blank and dropped in another pot.

Both the pots are taken inside the shrine by Tantri and offered a special pooja. Later a child is made to take the papers from both the pots one by one. The child takes a paper each from both the pots. When a name and a blank paper match the candidate is rejected. When a name and the word 'melshanthi' matches the candidate is selected.

Related Research Articles

Guruvayur Place in Kerala, India

Guruvayur also written as Guruvayoor, is a municipal temple town in Thrissur District, of Kerala State in India.it is suburban town of thrissur city. It houses the famous Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple. It is located at a distance of 494 km from Bengaluru, 292 km from the state capital Trivandrum, 645 km from Chennai and 93 km from Kochi.

Sabarimala Temple dedicated to Ayyappan in the Pathanamthitta District of Kerala, India

The Sabarimala Temple is a temple complex located at Sabarimala inside the Periyar Tiger Reserve in the Perinad Village, Pathanamthitta district, Kerala, India. It is one of the largest annual pilgrimage sites in the world with an estimate of over 40 to 50 million devotees visiting every year. The temple is dedicated to a Hindu celibate deity Ayyappan also known as Dharma Shasta, who according to belief is the son of Shiva and Mohini, the feminine incarnation of Vishnu. The traditions of Sabarimala are a confluence of Shaivism, Shaktism, Vaishnavism, and other Śramaṇa traditions.

Naranath Bhranthan

Naranath Branthan is a character in Malayalam folklore. He was considered to be a divine person, a Mukhta who pretended to be mad. His chief activity consisted of rolling a big stone up a hill and then letting it fall back down. There is a large statue of Naranath in Pattambi, Palakkad district of Kerala where he is believed to have lived.

Rajarajeshwara Temple

The Rajarajeswara temple is a Shiva temple located in Taliparamba in Kannur district of Kerala, South India. The temple is regarded as one of the existing 108 ancient Shiva Temples of ancient Kerala. It also has a prominent place amongst the numerous Shiva temples in South India. It had the tallest shikhara amongst the temples of its time. The Rajarajeshwara temple has a top of about 90 tonnes. If any problem is encountered in the other temples of South India, devotees seek a solution in this temple through a prasna, a traditional method of astrological decision making. The prasna is conducted on a peedha outside the temple.

Koodalmanikyam Temple

Koodalmanikyam Temple or Kudal Manikkam Temple / Koodalmanikkam Temple is a Hindu temple which is situated in Manavalassery village, Irinjalakuda, Thrissur district, Kerala state, India. The temple comprises the main structure, walled compound with citadels, four ponds around the main structure where in one of the ponds is situated within the walled structure. Koodalmanikyam Temple is the only ancient temple in India dedicated to the worship of Bharata, the third brother of Rama, however the idol is that of Vishnu. "Sangameshwara"(Lord of the Confluence) is another name associated with the deity at Koodalmanikyam. The temple is one of four in Kerala state that form a set called "Nalambalam", each temple dedicated to one of the four brothers in Ramayana: Rama, Bharata, Lakshmana and Shatrughna.

Makara Jyothi Religious belief

Makara is the name of a zodiac sign in Indian languages known as Capricorn in English. "Jyoti" means "light" in Sanskrit. Thus "Makara Jyoti" means "Light of Capricorn".

Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple building in India

The Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple is one of the "Divya Desams", the 108 temples of Vishnu revered by the 12 poet saints, or Alwars located near Aranmula, a village in Pathanamthitta District, Kerala, South India. Constructed in the Kerala style of architecture, the temple is glorified in the Divya Prabandha, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Azhwar saints from the 6th–9th centuries AD. It is one of the 108 Divyadesam dedicated to Krishna, an avatar of Vishnu, who is worshipped as Parthasarathy. The nearest railway station to the temple is located in Chengannur, while the nearest airport is Trivandrum International Airport.

Prasanna Venkatachalapathy Temple building in India

Gunaseelam Vishnu Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu located 20 km (12 mi) from Trichy, in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the banks of river Kollidam. A visit temple is believed to be a curative to the mentally challenged people, who are taken to the temple and kept in the temple premises for 48 days. At the end of the 48 days it is believed that their illness is cured by the grace of the presiding deity, Prasanna Venkatachalapathi. The temple has set up a mental health rehabilitation centre that has the official stamp of the Tamil Nadu Government license, the first of its kind in Tamil Nadu.

Vilwadrinatha Temple

Vilwadrinatha Temple is a Hindu Temple located in Thiruvilwamala, Thrissur district of Kerala. Lord Rama, the seventh avatar of Lord Vishnu, and his brother Lord Lakshmana are the main deities of this temple. This is one of the four major temples in Kerala dedicated to Lord Rama, the other three being Thriprayar, Kadavallur and Thiruvangad temples, and also one of the rarest temples in India itself which houses Lord Lakshmana. The temple is situated on the middle of Thiruvilwamala village, on the top of a hill 100 ft above the sea level. Bharathappuzha, the second largest river in Kerala, flows through the northern side around 3 km away from the temple, and as the temple is situated on the top of a hill, the river can be clearly seen from the temple.

Thantri or Tantri is the Vedic head who stand's in a top room in religion of Hindu. Thantri is person who set rule in temples, they are the authority in the temples of Kerala and temples in coastal Karnataka in southern India. It is a position held hereditarily. It is the thantri who installs the murti of the deity called prana pratishtha, and from that moment he assumes the position of the guru of the deity. The thantri is the authority on the rites and rituals of the temple.

Bengaluru Karaga is one of the oldest festivals celebrated in the heart of Bengaluru (ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು). Bengaluru Karaga is primarily a well-known tradition of 'Vahnikula Kshatriyas Thigala' community in southern Karnataka. The Karaga festival is generally led by the men of the community. There is a legend which gives them this privilege. Vahnikula Kshatriyas believe that in the last part of the Mahabharatha, when the Pandavas were shown a glimpse of hell, one last Asura (Demon) called Thimirasura was still alive.

Thazhamon Madom is the family of the tantris of Sabarimala. The members of this madom are the head priests of Sabarimala temple for many years. This madom is in Mundencavu in Chengannur of central Kerala. The Padi Pooja, Udayasthamana Pooja and Kalasa Poojas cannot be conducted unless the Tantri is present during the ceremony. The tantri, or his representative is required to be present at the temple premises whenever the temple is open.

Thiruvabharanam is the sacred ornaments of Ayyappan, the presiding deity of Sabarimala temple. The ornaments are made of gold. It is believed that these ornaments are made at the orders of the Pandalam King, who adopted Ayyappan as his child. Thiruvabharanam is kept at Srambickal Palace, which is close to the Valiyakoikkal Temple, inside the Pandalam Palace premises. At the end of the pilgrim season every year, the ornaments are taken to Sabarimala as a procession and poojas are performed on the idol adorned with the ornaments. After the season, the ornaments are taken back to the Srambickal Palace for safe custody. Thiruvabharanam and the caskets are made available for darshan at Srambickal palace during the pilgrim season and at Valiyakoikkal Temple on the day of the procession.

Pongala is a harvest festival of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The name 'Pongala' means 'to boil over' and refers to the ritualistic offering of porridge made of rice, sweet brown molasses, coconut gratings, nuts and raisins. Generally women devotees participate in this ritual. Tamil people celebrate as Pongal.

Karikkakom Devi Temple

Karikkakom Sree Chamundi Devi Temple or Karikkakom Devi Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Goddess Chamundi located in Thiruvananthapuram, India. This ancient temple, more than 600 years old, is situated at Karikkakom, around 7 km north of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram. The temple enshrines a Panchaloha idol of the goddess Karikkakathamma – an incarnation of Chamundi. The rare fact about this temple is that Chamundi Devi is worshiped here in three different forms: Maha Chamundi, Raktha Chamundi, and Bala Chamundi. During the period of King's rule this temple was the venue for imparting justice and truth. Truth and justice were tested on oath and solemnization and the punishmentsf meted out accordingly.

Pathiyanadu Sree Bhadrakali Temple is one of Hindu goddess Bhadrakali temple in Kerala. The shrine is in Mullassery. It is 1.5 kilometres from Karakulam under Nedumangad Thaluk. It is 12.5 kilometres from Thiruvananthapuram. The temple is managed by Pathiyanadu Sree Bhadrakali Kshetram Trust.

Kilimarathukavu Temple

Kilimarthukava Temple, also known as Kilimarathukavu Siva Parvathy Temple and in Malayalam as കിളിമരത്തുകാവ് ക്ഷേത്രം, is located in Kadakkal, Kollam, Kerala, India. It is one of the most famous centuries old temple in South India. This temple is very special in its deities. One of the speciality is that it has two Lord Shiva deities one is the main Shiva and the other is Mahanadan. It is also well known for the biggest Cult image of 'Dharma Sastha' who is Lord Ayyappan. Lord Hanuman temple is located at the centre of temple pond.Non-Hindus are allowed in the temple. The temple (puja) routines are strictly followed.

Aryankavu Sastha Temple Hindu temple in Kerala

Aryankavu Sastha Temple a Hindu temple and one among the 108 Sastha shrines in the Indian state of Kerala. The idol here is believed to be consecrated by sage Parashurama. It is also one among Pancha Sastha temples in Kerala located in the Pathanapuram tehsil of Kollam district, in the eastern forest ranges.

Pathinettampadi are the 18 divine steps to the 'Thirumuttam' of famed Sabarimala temple in Kerala state of India. These steps have a length of 5 feet, width of 9 inches and height of 9 inches. Earlier, these steps were made out of granite and later in 1985, it was covered by 'Panchaloha', a composition of five metals such as gold, silver, copper, iron and tin. One who undertakes Sabarimala pilgrimage must mark his foots over these steps by carrying an 'irumudikettu' and undergoing a vratam (penance) of 41 days. The pilgrims who climbed the Pathinettampadi for 18 times needs to plant a young coconut tree at Sannidhanam and thereby becomes a 'Guruswami'. In the past, devotees used to break coconuts on these steps which was later restricted and replaced.