Avanangattilkalari Vishnumaya Temple, Hindu temple in Peringottukara, Kerala, India
Avanangattilkalari Vishnumaya Temple is a Hindu temple in Peringottukara, within Thrissur district of Kerala, set on roughly four hectares surrounded by rice paddies. The main shrine faces east and is accompanied by several smaller shrines, a ritual pond, and traditional structures that together form an enclosed ceremonial area.
The site began more than 500 years ago when Avanangattil Panicker cleared forest land and established a Kalari school for training in traditional martial arts. The religious structure grew around this school over time, evolving into a place of worship dedicated to the deity Vishnumaya, with descendants of the founder continuing to hold a role in its care.
This site serves as the main center for Vishnumaya devotion across the region, with priestly duties carried out by members of Panicker and Thiyyar families using rituals passed down through generations. The name includes Kalari, reflecting the grounds' original use as a training hall for martial arts, where physical discipline once blended with spiritual practice.
Visitors should follow dress requirements where men wear dhoti without shirt and women wear saree or pavada, as modern clothing is not allowed inside. The compound can be walked through on foot, keeping respectful distance during prayer times and remaining quiet near the shrines.
An oracle called Vellichapad enters a trance during special ceremonies and delivers messages understood as divine answers to the concerns of worshippers. This state, known as niyogam, is accompanied by drumming and chanting and forms a highlight of many ritual gatherings at the temple.
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