Ratholsavam 2025 | Manthakkara Sree Maha Ganapathy Temple Palakkad

റതോത്സവം മാന്തക്കര ശ്രീ മഹാ ഗണപതി ക്ഷേത്രം പാലക്കാട് | Ratholsavam 2025 Manthakkara Sree Maha Ganapathy Temple Palakkad

Manthakkara Maha Ganapathy Temple, the Grama Devatha of New Kalpathy Village, was consecrated nearly four to five centuries ago by the Tamil Brahmins, who had migrated from Tamil Nadu. The Temple is located in the heart of village - Kalpathy on the banks of Nila River. It is also believed that an idol of Ganapathy resting under a banyan tree on the eastern side of the agraharam (popularly known as Manthakkara), was installed at the present temple site facing the all powerful and omnipotent Lord Viswanatha Swamy, in order to protect the residents and devotees from frequent fire hazards, etc. Records show that the temple did not have much of landed properties, and the little it had, was endowed by the villagers and philanthropists in the area.On the Eastern side of Sree Viswanatha Swamy Temple lays the New Kalpathy Village, which consisted of homes mostly built of thatched roofing. It belonged perhaps to the last batch of Tamil Brahmin migrants. Harassed by frequent fires, loss of life and property, the villagers consecrated a temple dedicated to Lord Maha Ganapathy to ward off Sivadrishti.

The idol of Mahaganapathy resting under a Banyan tree near a tank lying on the eastern side of this village (Manthakkara) was installed facing Lord Siva. The residents of this village were well known scholars of Vedas & purohits well versed in their profession. Most of the surrounding villages of Palakkad town used to depend on them for the conduct of Vedic rituals. Any doubt on observation of rituals and interpretation of sastras used to be debated and decided here. New Kalpathy village was used to be a citadel of Vedic culture and Sanathana dharma and it has produced numerous scholars of Vedas and Vedangas. They are still being remembered by villagers with reverence and devotion. Their scholarship used to be recognized by both Shringeri & Kanchi Sankaracharaya Mutts. This village sent the largest contingent of Vedic Scholars to attend the All India Sanathana Conference held at Kasi during 1932-33. These men of learning never cared for riches or material comforts. For this reason the Mandhakkara Lord Maha Ganapathy Temple had no properties worth mentioning. The poojas and Festivals used to be conducted on adhoc basis.

Ratholsavam 2025 | Manthakkara Sree Maha Ganapathy Temple Palakkad

The festival centres round the Viswanathaswamy Temple on the banks of the Nila river at Kalpathy. According to mythology, the deity was brought from the holy Ganga at Varanasi and the great Bana had worshipped in the temple. The Car Festival is celebrated in the last week of the Tamil month of Aippasi. The festival starts on the 22nd day of Aippasi and concludes on the last day of the month. The main centre of the festival is Kalpathy Sree Viswanathaswamy Temple. The three satellite temples in the village of Manthakkara Maha Ganapathy Temple (New Kalpathy), Lakshmi Narayana Perumal Temple (Old Kalpathy) and Prasanna Maha Ganaathy (Chathapuram) also celebrate the festival during this time.

The Dhwaja Arohanam takes place on the 2nd day in all the four temples. On the fifth day of the festival, the famous Rishabha Vahana procession is taken out in the night, with the deities from all the temples taken out in decorated cars.They converge at the western end of the New Kalpathy village ground around midnight. Competitions are regularly held for percussionists. This attracts thousands of people from villages around Kalpathy and other parts of the district and outside.On the seventh day, the 28th day of Aippasi, the deity from Viswanathaswamy Temple is taken out and installed in three cars, one for the main deity Sree Viswanathaswamy and his consort Goddess Parvathy, the second for Vigneswara and the third for Lord Subramaniaswamy. The chariots set out on village tour around 10 a.m. After going around all the villages the three chariots return to the base on the 30th day around sunset. The Kuthira Vahanam procession held on the same day is very famous and the Youngsters Association conducts the same and this attracts huge crowd during night.

EVENTS/PROGRAMS
Dhwaja Arohanam
Religious discourses
Rishabha vahana procession
Music with percussion
Cultural Programmes
Kuthira vahanam

Temple Location

📍 Manthakkara Sree Maha Ganapathy Temple, New Kalpathy, Chathapuram, Kalpathy
Palakkad-678003 Kerala.

Accessibility

🏙️ Nearest Town/ Landmark/ Junction: Ambikapuram Post Office- 350 m

🚌 Nearest Bus Station: Puthiya Paalam Bus Stop- 1.7m

🚂 Nearest Railway Station: Palakkad junction railway station- 2.5km

✈️ Nearest Airport: Coimbatore International Airport- 70km

Contact

📞 0491 257 6515
📱 99954 81676 (K. V. Venkiteswaran lyer)
93873 18444 (K. V. Ganesh lyer)

🌐 www.lmgkalpathy.com