Kerala’s Thirunelly temple’s structures need protection

The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) has urged the government to conserve the historically significant structures, including the 600-year-old ‘Vilakkumadom’, an exquisite granite structure, at the Sree Mahavishnu Temple at Thirunelly in Wayanad district during the on-going renovation of the temple.

• Thirunelli Temple is an ancient temple dedicated to Lord Maha Vishnu on the side of Brahmagiri hill in Kerala. 
  
  

• East: The Tirunelli temple faces east where the sun rises over the Udayagiri range. 
• North: At the north is the formidable Brahmagiri Range which appears so close to the temple.
• West and South: At the west and south are Karimala and Narinirangimala respectively.
• Style: The 15th-century structure is built in the typical Kerala style, with tiled roofs. 
• A local ruler began building a stone structure, but he was interrupted by a war, and a few pillars stand in solitude in memory of the attempt. 
• An impressive structure from that period is an aqueduct, bringing water from the hill streams to the temple.
• Thirunelli Temple is the only temple in the world where devotees can perform all the rituals related to one’s life, starting from birth to death and life after death. Panchatheertham is the temple's holy pond.
• Kashi of the South: It is believed that here the prathishta of Lord Vishnu was performed by Lord Brahma. It is also known as ''Sahyamala Kshetram'' and ''Kashi of the South''.