Ameda Temple | Festivals, Timings & Address

The Ameda Temple is situated on the banks of the Vembanad Lake at Udayamperur on the Tripunithura – Vaikom road in the Ernakulam district of Kerala. The temple was dedicated to Saptamatrika – Brahmani, Maheshwari, Kaumari, Vaishnavi, Varahi, Indrani and Chamundi. The Ameda Temple’s timings are from 04:00 am to 08:00 pm.

Ameda Temple Overview

Ameda Temples dedicated to Nagaraja and Nagayakshi are located northwest and northeast of the temple premises. To the north of the primary temple is the Vishnu shrine. Veerabhadran and Ganapati also worshipped in the temple.

Ameda Temple Timings

This temple is famous for Sarpabali and Ashta Naga Puja. Two pujas are offered to Nagara to ward off Sarpa Dosha and Rahu Dosha and obtain Sarpa Preeti (the blessings of snakes). Pulluvan silk is another essential offering in the temple.

History of Ameda Temple

Lord Vishnu’s Parasurama avatar was once travelling through the western coast of India and happened to reach the present temple site. As usual, he stepped into the lake at sunset for sandhyavandan (evening puja). He saw a bright light in the distance. 

His curiosity about the source of the light prompted him to walk into the lake’s centre. Suddenly, he had the divine knowledge that the ‘Saptamatraka’ travelling in the lake above the turtle was the source of the light.

Meanwhile, Parasurama, who was going to the middle of the lake, got water, and the tortoise could not travel. The place where the tortoise halted was called ‘Amaninidam’ and later became ‘Ameda’. 

As his movement in the middle of the lake silenced the tortoise and thus stopped the journey of ‘Saptamatrika’, Lord Parasurama decided to build a magnificent temple where the tortoise stopped its journey. The Ameda temple came into existence in its present location.

The architecture of Ameda Saptamatrikala temple

The temple was situated on the Vembanad Kayal’s (backwaters) banks in a sprawling 10 acres of land. Its facade is adorned with a carved main gate.

There are separate sanctums dedicated to Nagaraja and Nagayakshi, who pour their blessings from the northwest and northeast directions of the temple premises. Vishnu’s sanctum is in the north direction. 

Many households in Kerala maintain their sacred snake groves. In the modern world, no household can maintain such a garden due to the nuclear family system. Therefore, many snakes, deprived of shelter, settle on the roads. 

Meanwhile, the temple of Ameda Saptamatrikala shelters all kinds of snakes in abandoned gardens. Ameda Mangalam’s family members, who arrived here 500 years ago, manage this temple. The family runs a cattle farm that supplies pure milk for temple worship.

Ameda Temple Festival

The main festival of the Ameda temple was held during the month of Pisces (March-April) in the Malayalam calendar. 

The festival begins with Kodiettam on Makairam Nakshatra day. Ayilyam darshan is done on Ayilyam nakshatra day, Utsava Bali on Makam nakshatra day, and Valiya Vilakku here, also known as Pallivetta, is done on Pooram nakshatra day. 

The festival concludes with an arattu ceremony and procession on the day of Utram Nakshatra. The kodiettu and aarattu were conducted by the eldest member of the Ameda Mangalam family or Vadakkan Puliannoor Nambudri, the tantri of the Ameda temple.

After Usha Puja in the morning, Aarattu performs in the Ameda temple pond, and in the evening, “Kodiettu” is performed in the temple.

Aarattu is performed every morning during the festival, while the main aarattu is performed in the evening. On the day of Aarattu, three doors of Srikovil opened, and five pujas were performed instead of the usual three pujas. 

The three doors of Ameda Temple Srikovil are open only for two days a year. One is the 41st day of Guruthi Puja, and the next is the main festival, Aarattu Day, on Utram Nakshatra day. On other days, only two doors of the temple had opened.

Ayilyam Darshan

The Ayilyam or Ashlesha Nakshatra months Kanni, Tulam, Scorpio, and Pisces (Malayalam months) are more promising and essential. According to the English calendar, they fall in September, November, and April. 

Besides the four days mentioned above, ‘Pathamudayam’ and ‘Naga Panchami’ are other significant days on which to worship the Naga deities. Hundreds of devotees visit the temple on Ayilyam Nakshatra day.

Devotees offered Ayilyam idi Valipadu on the day of Ayilyam Nakshatra in Kanni, Scorpio and Pisces.

Benefits of worshipping in Ameda temple

In the horoscope, devotees with Sarpa Dosha and Rahu Dosha visit the temple and offer Sarpa Bali and Ashtanga Puja to Nagaraja. Performing these poojas and worshipping Lord Naga will remove the afflictions caused by Rahu and remove the obstacles from their lives.

Childless couples worship at Ameda Saptamatrikala temple on the day of Kartika Nakshatra, offering Kartika Payasam to receive blessings from the deities for childbirth.

Arial (throwing the vessel) and Povatta Kamizthal (placing the opposite Povatta) are special rituals in the Sapta Matrikas for childbirth.

Pooja Timings

  • Palli Unarthal, 04:00 am
  • Nirmaalya Darshanam, 04:30 am
  • Abhishekam, Malar nivedyam 05:00 am
  • Usha Pooja 06:00 am
  • Ucha Pooja 07:30 am
  • Closing 12:00 pm
  • Opening 05:00 pm
  • Deepaaradhana 06:30 pm
  • Athaazha Pooja 07:00 pm
  • Closing 08:00 pm
DaysTimings
Monday4 am to 8 pm
Tuesday4 am to 8 pm
Wednesday4 am to 8 pm
Thursday4 am to 8 pm
Friday4 am to 8 pm
Saturday4 am to 8 pm
Sunday4 am to 8 pm

Nearby places to visit

Accommodation at Ameda Temple

Guest house facilities are available at the temple. Please get in touch with the office beforehand to confirm room availability.

The Office Number: +91 854 739 1361

Hotels near Ameda Temple

  • Woodlands Residency
  • Hotel Cochin Legacy
  • CoCo LoCo Homestays
  • Ashoka Inn
  • CMK’s Habitat Center

Ameda Temple Address

Udayamperoor, Thripunithura, Ernakulam, Kerala 682307

  • Contact: 0484 279 4546
  • Ameda Temple: Website 

How to reach?

By road:

The nearest bus stop is Ameda Temple Bus Stop, which is 210 meters from the temple.

By train:

Mulanturutti Railway Station is near the temple.

By air:

The nearest airport is Cochin International Airport, which is 39.4 km from Ameda Saptamatrikal Temple.

FAQs

What is the story of Ameda Temple?

Legend has it that Parasurama, one of the incarnations of Lord Vishnu who extracted the land from the ocean to form Kerala, stepped into the lake, and the tortoise could not move forward.

What is Ameda Temple Prasad?

Palpayasahoma and Ashtanagapuja are two essential offerings in the Ameda temple.

What is Sarpabali Puja?

Sarpabali is a powerful tantric pooja performed to Lord Nagaraja on Ashlesha Nakshatra or Nakshatra Oilyam, which helps ward off the evil effects of Sarpa Dosha, reducing and eradicating the 54 divine serpents (including Shiva’s Vasuki and Vishnu’s Adisesha) to help people in their search for life partners.

Which temple is dedicated to the serpent god?

Mannarsala Sri Nagaraja Temple