Athipatta Mana Nagakanya Temple
Athippatta Mana: History and Background
Location: Athippatta Mana is located in Chethallur, Palakkad district, beautifully situated on the banks of the Thoothapuzha River.
Heritage: This is a highly renowned Namboothiri ancestral home (gulam) in the Valluvanad region, boasting a lineage that dates back approximately 800 years.
Lineage & Deity: The family belongs to the Satvik Namboothiri community from the Shukapuram village. Their village deity is Shukapurathappan. They also worship Durga as their clan deity (Kula Devatha) and Vishnu as their supreme deity (Paradevatha).
📐 Architecture and the Nalukettu
Structure: What used to be an Ettukettu (an eight-sided traditional mansion) in the past is now a Nalukettu (a four-sided traditional mansion) with nearly 200 years of history.
The Mansion: A major attraction here is the magnificent four-story mansion (including the attic/loft) built entirely out of laterite stone (Vettukal), reflecting ancient grand architectural styles.
Interior Features: The mansion houses around 10 rooms, traditional staircases, and strategically placed windows that ensure excellent cross-ventilation. Because the rooms are relatively small, they naturally remain remarkably cool.
Craftsmanship: The wooden ceilings of the rooms feature breathtaking, intricate carvings. Architectural marvels like the Ashtadalam (an eight-petal lotus motif) make this structure a prime example of traditional Vastu Shastra.
🐍 Snake Worship and Legends
The Legend: Centuries ago, a senior patriarch of the family went to offer prayers at the famous Vaikom Temple. It is believed that upon his return, a serpent traveled along with him to the mana by hiding inside his palm-leaf umbrella (Olakuda). To commemorate this divine connection, the family still celebrates Vaikathashtami as their sacred family day.
Primary Seat: The main seat of the serpent deities is located right inside the Nadumuttam (the open central courtyard of the Nalukettu), underneath a tree in a natural snake-mound (Sarppaputtu).
Shrine Deities: The family temple (Shree Kovil) houses the idol of Nagakanya alongside other serpent deities. Additionally, deities that were originally kept in the inner sanctum (Sreelakam)—such as Goddess Durga, Dakshinamoorthy, Lord Vishnu, and Bhadrakali—were later consecrated alongside the snake deities in this shrine. Ritualistic pujas are performed here every single day.
🌳 The Ancient Serpent Grove (Sarppakavu)
Age & Preservation: Spanning across acres of land adjacent to the shrine is a sacred grove (Sarppakavu) that has remained completely untouched by modernization for over 500 years.
Flora and Fauna: The grove is a dense ecosystem home to various birds, small animals, rare medicinal herbs, and a gigantic wild jackfruit tree (Anjili tree).
Chithrakooda Kallu: Beneath the 500-year-old Anjili tree lies a Chithrakooda Kallu (a traditional carved stone installation for snake worship) where the serpent deities are consecrated.
Festivals: While the main shrine has daily prayers, the sacred grove hosts a grand annual puja on the eve of Thaipooyam.
Due to its rich spiritual heritage and pristine natural environment, devotees travel from far and wide to visit Athippatta Mana. The family continues to preserve the grove, rituals, and centuries-old traditions with utmost devotion and authenticity.
