Ernakulum’s Chottanikara Devi Temple
A temple believed to be around 1500 years old, made by a forest occupant named Kannappan. In order to protect her daughter from evil spirits, he used to sacrifice every day for Goddess Bhagavathy. One day he didn’t find any animal for sacrifice and hence requested his daughter to bring a pet calf for sacrifice. She refused and declared that she’d rather sacrifice her own life for the goddess. The calf spoke to Kannappan and revealed herself as Goddess in animal form. After that Kannappan began worshipping her at the place where he used to sacrifice animals. The shrine was abandoned and later it was found by a grass-cutter.
The Cochin Devaswam Board is in charge of the organization. Apart from the worship of Bhagavathy Amman and Lord Vishnu, the temple complex houses other small shrines of Shiva, Dharma Sastha, Brahma, Anjaneya (Hanuman), Subramanya (Karthik), Ganesh, and the Nagas. The compound also has Bhadrakali or Keezhu Kaavu opposite to a vast lake.
The Chottanikkara Amman and Bhadrakali Amman are regarded as healing deities. In India, Bhadrakali is a much – civilized form of goddess Kali – Hindus worship Bhadrakali to get rid of dreadful worries and possessions by malevolence spirits, it may be material or spiritual, as someone may call it. There is an old ‘pala’ tree (Alstonia scholaris) in the temple. Those cured of vindictive spirits drive a nail into the tree or into the fence that encompasses this tree. In earlier instances, devotees used to drive these nails utilizing their head rather than a hammer. Thousands of such nails in and around the tree affirm the miraculous cures, unbelievable and unexplainable faith.