Laloor Karthyayini Temple

Datable to ancient period, it is one of the 108 Durga temples. However, details on the origin of the temple are not available. The only information available is that it belonged to a prominent Nair thravadu by name Mannathazhathu of Moolattatam and that it was handed over to Cochin Sarkar and in 1950 its administration was vested with the Cochin Devaswam Board. A Kshetra Samrakshana Samiti also functions here. The day-to-day affairs are managed by the Devaswam Officer of Ayyanthol Group.

At one time the temple owned the whole of Laloor desam. At present the temple owns only three acres of which one acre constitutes the temple complex. The structures thereon are Sreekovil, namaskara-mandapam, chuttambalam, Valiya-balikkal, deepastambham, compound wall, well and tank.

The square dwi-tala sreekovil of sandhaara type and facing east has granite upa-peetham with mouldings of paadukam, kumudam and galam, while the mouldings of the adhishthaanam are paadukam, jagathi, kumudam,kumuda-padi, galam and utharam. The sopanam has four direct steps with vyaali face on the sides of banisters. The pranaalam has makara-simha face at the base, multifaceted sundu and go-mukha end. The walls are made of laterite stones and plastered. The laterite stone walls have three ghanadwaaras and 12 panjaras with some having Jhalas. The roofs (both eka-tala and dwi-tala parts) are tiled. The namaskara-mandapam has four pillars. The well is at northeast of akathe-balivattam.

The chuttambalam has three entrances, at east,west and north. The thidappali is at southeast. Chuttu-vilakks are fixed on the walls of chuttambalam. The valiya-balikkall is outside the chuttambalam. A sila-deepastambham was installed in 1990 A.D. The laterite compound wall exists at the western and northern sides, and it has a height of 2.1 m. and a width of 45 cm. There is also a tank in the premises of the temple.

The sreekovil wall has exquisite carvings of various animals in copulating pose and as wells as some erotic sculptures (both at the lower wall and at the greeva). This is a rarity considering the other temples in Kerala where the themes are predominantly of Bhakti . There are wood carvings on the ceiling of the namaskara-mandapam.

The sila idol of Goddess Karthyayini is of standing pose (90 cm.) with four arms holding conch and disc in upper hands and with abhaya and varada poses for lower hands.

The temple is kept open from 5:30 to 9 AM, and from 5 to 7:30 PM. Two poojas are held daily, Usha-pooja at 7 AM. and Athazha-pooja at 7 PM.

Pushpanjali, abhishekam, archana and sharkara-payasam are the main vazhipadu

Navaratri days are also observed The main festival is the seven-day Thrikarthika festival. Special poojas, ezhunnellath with para-eduppu are the main items of the festival. On Sivarathri day also there is ezhunnellath to the Sree Vadakkumnathan temple. Navaratri days are also observed.

There is a specific order for the participants in the Thrissur Pooram festival starting with Kanimangalam, Chembookaav, Panamukkambilli, Karamukku, Choorakkottukavu, Laloor, Ayyanthol, Naithilakkavu, Thiruvambady, and finally Paramekkavu. As noted above Laloor is the sixth participant.

This temple is also an important participant in Thrissur-Pooram. The Kodiyettam is held on Makiryam nakshatram of Medam in the morning and subsequently devi is taken for aarattu with accompaniment of paani. After the aarattu, navakam, sreebhoothabali is carried out. On the second day, after the aarattu and sreebhoothabali, Laloor Bhagavathi proceeds to be meet her younger sister; Karamukku Bhagavathi. After an irakki-pooja, Laloor Bhagavathi returns to her temple along with Karamukku Bhagavathi, where the latter has an irakki-pooja. On Fourth, fifth and Sixth days there will be Aarattu, navakam, Sreebhoothabali in the temple.

On Pooram-day, at 4 AM there will be an aarattu followed by Navakam and Sreebhoothabali. By 6 AM, Bhagavathi starts her procession with three elephants to Vadakkumnathan accompanied by naadaswaram via kanjani road-West Fort-Kottappuram over-bridge. From MG Road, 6 more elephants get added to the procession with Panchavadyam ensemble the procession reaches naduvil-aal by 9 AM. The procession then proceeds to Sreemoolasthanam with Pandi-melam and enters the Sree Vadakkumnathan temple through western gopuram and after pradakshina goes out via southern gopuram and arrive back at the temple. At 6 PM again the procession starts and reaches Naduvil-aal with 9 elephants and accompanied by panchavadyam. The procession then proceeds to the Nilapadu-thara accompanied by Pandi-melam completes pradakshina returns to Laloor temple by 2:30 AM. On the next day (8th day) after the aarattu in the evening, the flagstaff or the kodimaram is uprooted and thereby concluding the pooram celebration for the year

The details of the thantri who installed the idol in this ancient temple are not known. The present thantri belongs to Puliyannoor mana. The shantikkaran is appointed from Malayala Brahmins. The other staff includes a kazhakam (Brahmani Amma).

Situated four km. southwest of Thrissur at Laloor junction on Kanjani road and thence about ten meters south, the
temple is connected by tarred road.