Bharananganam
Encyclopedia
Bharananganam, an important pilgrim centre in South India, is located on the banks of Meenachil river
, 5 km east of Pala
in Kottayam
district in the state of Kerala
. Bharananganam and surrounding places are bestowed with natural beauty due to hilly areas and lot of vegetation.
of India
after the birthplace of St. Theresa of Lisieux in France
, The thousand year old St. Mary's Church here is one of the famous pilgrim centers of the Christians in Kerala
. Also known as Anakkallu Palli, it is the place holding the mortal remains of Saint Alphonsa (1910-1946).Saint Alphonsa is the first person to be conferred sainthood from the Kerala Church, which traces its origins to the visit of St. Thomas
around 2,000 years ago to preach the gospel in India, and the second Indian to get that status after St Gonsalo Garcia
.The death anniversary of Saint Alphonsa, which falls on the 28th July is an important day for the devotees. Every year on this day, thousands of devotees visit this holy shrine, where the mortal remains of the saint is preserved, to pray and seek her blessings.
Saint Alphonsa lived a saintly life and was recognized as a saintly person during her lifetime. Even at a young age she showed a great zeal for suffering and she used to pray fervently and longed for sacrifice and fasting as and when possible. She believed that she must endure all things that tests her will and offer them to the Lord. It is said that in spite of her painful diseases, she was cheerful to the last. It was her students who established the cult of Saint Alphonsa. After her death, they began visiting her tomb
and offering prayers. As they continued, they started receiving favours. Ever since, her tomb
has been a centre of pilgrimage and innumerable miracles. The first officially confirmed miracle was that of, a disabled child miraculously cured of his ailment and his limbs restored, due to prayers at the altar of Sister Alphonsa's shrine. The miracle was approved in 1985 and the beatification of Sister Alphonsa was proclaimed by Pope John Paul II
, during his visit to India
in 1986. There is a two floored structure in front of the shrine which was originally the Papal podium for the beatification ceremony on 8th Feb.1986.
Sister Alphonsa became Saint Alphonsa after she was canonised by Pope Benedict XVI
at a ceremony at St. Peter's Square, Vatican
on October 12, 2008.
The Clarist convent where Sr. Alphonsa lived is located near St. Mary's Forane Church in Bharananganam
. There is a museum adjacent to the convent chapel where the personal belongings of the Saint are well preserved.
The official website of the temple is http://www.bharananganamtemple.com/
The sages performed abhishekam with Gauna river water. Pandavas and Panchali conducted the Paranaveedal ritual to end their vratha. They stayed there for some more days and later left to another place. While leaving that place they appointed a local Brahmin to conduct daily poojas and gave him the wealth to construct a temple. On that occasion there were not enough water in the river to conduct daily poojas. So Bhima digged a well near to the Lord's idol using his Gada. Later this place became famous as Paranaaranyam means forest where Paranaveedal was conducted. Paranakananam is the equivalent Malayalam word and later became Paranamkanam and after hundreds of years it became Bharananganam. Since the first abhishekam was conducted using Gauna river water, even today the first abhishekam in the early morning is conducted with river water and later with well water.
is a shortage of drinking water around Keezhampara locality.There is a colony consisting of around 50 houses.The people residing here are financially poor.But some of them are well educated and have govt. job.
Nearest Railway Station- Kottayam
Distance to Cochin/Ernakulam - 75 Km
Distance to Kottayam - 32 Km
Distance to Pala - 5 Km
Distance from Bharananganam to Keezhampara - 2 Km
Meenachil River
The Meenachil river flows through the heart of Kottayam district of Kerala state, India. The river, 78 km long, flows through Poonjar, Teekoy, Erattupetta, Palai, Ettumanoor and Kottayam before emptying itself into the Vembanad Lake at Kumarakom, the famous tourist place of Kerala.The...
, 5 km east of Pala
Pala
-Places:*Pala, California, town in the United States*Pala Casino Resort and Spa, casino located in Pala, California*Pala, Chad, town in Chad*Pala , town on Atauro Island, East Timor*Pala , town in Kerala, India...
in Kottayam
Kottayam
Kottayam is a city in the Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 55.40 km2. It is the administrative capital of the Kottayam district. Kottayam Kottayam (Malayalam: കോട്ടയം) is a city in the Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 55.40 km2. It is the administrative...
district in the state of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
. Bharananganam and surrounding places are bestowed with natural beauty due to hilly areas and lot of vegetation.
Saint Alphonsa's tomb
This small town is known as LisieuxLisieux
Lisieux is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.Lisieux is the capital of the Pays d'Auge area, which is characterised by valleys and hedged farmland...
of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
after the birthplace of St. Theresa of Lisieux in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, The thousand year old St. Mary's Church here is one of the famous pilgrim centers of the Christians in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
. Also known as Anakkallu Palli, it is the place holding the mortal remains of Saint Alphonsa (1910-1946).Saint Alphonsa is the first person to be conferred sainthood from the Kerala Church, which traces its origins to the visit of St. Thomas
Thomas the Apostle
Thomas the Apostle, also called Doubting Thomas or Didymus was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. He is best known for questioning Jesus' resurrection when first told of it, then proclaiming "My Lord and my God" on seeing Jesus in . He was perhaps the only Apostle who went outside the Roman...
around 2,000 years ago to preach the gospel in India, and the second Indian to get that status after St Gonsalo Garcia
Gonsalo Garcia
Saint Gonsalo Garcia, O.F.M., was a Roman Catholic Franciscan friar from India, who died as a martyr in Japan and is venerated as a saint. Born in the western coastal town of Vasai, now an exurb of the city of Mumbai, he hailed from the town--then known as Bassein--during the time the town was...
.The death anniversary of Saint Alphonsa, which falls on the 28th July is an important day for the devotees. Every year on this day, thousands of devotees visit this holy shrine, where the mortal remains of the saint is preserved, to pray and seek her blessings.
Saint Alphonsa lived a saintly life and was recognized as a saintly person during her lifetime. Even at a young age she showed a great zeal for suffering and she used to pray fervently and longed for sacrifice and fasting as and when possible. She believed that she must endure all things that tests her will and offer them to the Lord. It is said that in spite of her painful diseases, she was cheerful to the last. It was her students who established the cult of Saint Alphonsa. After her death, they began visiting her tomb
Tomb
A tomb is a repository for the remains of the dead. It is generally any structurally enclosed interment space or burial chamber, of varying sizes...
and offering prayers. As they continued, they started receiving favours. Ever since, her tomb
Tomb
A tomb is a repository for the remains of the dead. It is generally any structurally enclosed interment space or burial chamber, of varying sizes...
has been a centre of pilgrimage and innumerable miracles. The first officially confirmed miracle was that of, a disabled child miraculously cured of his ailment and his limbs restored, due to prayers at the altar of Sister Alphonsa's shrine. The miracle was approved in 1985 and the beatification of Sister Alphonsa was proclaimed by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
, during his visit to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in 1986. There is a two floored structure in front of the shrine which was originally the Papal podium for the beatification ceremony on 8th Feb.1986.
Sister Alphonsa became Saint Alphonsa after she was canonised by Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
at a ceremony at St. Peter's Square, Vatican
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
on October 12, 2008.
The Clarist convent where Sr. Alphonsa lived is located near St. Mary's Forane Church in Bharananganam
Bharananganam
Bharananganam, an important pilgrim centre in South India, is located on the banks of Meenachil river, 5 km east of Pala in Kottayam district in the state of Kerala. Bharananganam and surrounding places are bestowed with natural beauty due to hilly areas and lot of vegetation.- Saint Alphonsa's...
. There is a museum adjacent to the convent chapel where the personal belongings of the Saint are well preserved.
Sree Krishna Swami Temple
Bharananaganam is well known for Sree Krishna Temple in the banks of river Meenachil. This is one of the major temple of South Kerala. The east facing Sree Krishna Swami temple is located 1.3 km away from Bharanaganam junction in Ettumanoor - Poonjar State Highway. The 8 day long annual festival in Makaram (January) is a very vibrant event in the whole region commencing with the hoisting of the temple flag on Makara Samkramam day, and concluding with ‘Arattu’ (Ritual Bath of the deity) on 8th day. Besides the regular daily rituals the festivities include processions of the deity on elephant’s back to the suburban villages like Kizhaparayar, Keezhambara, Chittanappara and bharananganam (on 5 days) the precious ‘Utsava Bali’ (for 6 days) and art and cultural programs every day. The ‘Arattu’, typical of the 'Arattu' in almost any temple, is a magnificent night-long ceremony including procession of several elephants and performances by major percussion teams. The slow-moving procession of the caparisoned elephants carrying decorative silken umbrellas and other paraphernalia, illumined by multi-tongued oil torches, is a gorgeous spectacle, a delightful experience for the participants.The official website of the temple is http://www.bharananganamtemple.com/
Assisi Asram
Assisi asramam run by OFM cap missionaries also situated here. This Renewal Centre has completed 34 years of praiseworthy service in providing spiritual assistance to numerous people. It is to be noted that it is here the first Malayalam Charismatic retreat was conducted. This Renewal Centre publish a malayalam magazine named "Assisi" and they manage a publishing house named "Jeevan Books".Educational Institutions
Bharananganam is famous for its elite schools. Alphonsa Residential School (ARS) is one of the best ICSE syllabus schools in Kerala. Many students from ARS have become high profile professionals making their impact in reputed companies and institutions all around the world. St.Joseph's College of Engineering and Technology is located just 3 km from Bharananganam. Sacred Heart Girls High School and St.Mary's Boys High School are also famous schools in the region.Hindhu legends associated with place name
Bharananganam is also known as Dakshina Guruvayoor (Guruvayoor of South) because of the presence of Sree Krishna Swami Temple. The place name is closely associated with this temple. During their vanavasa (exile) Pandavas and Panchali stayed here for some days. On those days Yudhishtira performed Vishnu Pooja here. Yudhishtira decided to perform Dwadasi Pooja on Shukla Paksha Dwadasi day in the Malayalm month of Kumbham. But he had no idols of Lord Krishna to worship. Understanding the difficulty of His devotee, Lord Krishna gave a beautiful idol of Lord Vishnu to Vedavyasa Muni and Narada Muni and asked them to perform the pooja for Yudhishtira. Narada Muni and Vyasa Muni reached the place on the bank of holy Gauna (now Meenachil) river and installed the idol of Lord Vishnu in a suitable place and performed Vishnu pooja for Yudhishtira.The sages performed abhishekam with Gauna river water. Pandavas and Panchali conducted the Paranaveedal ritual to end their vratha. They stayed there for some more days and later left to another place. While leaving that place they appointed a local Brahmin to conduct daily poojas and gave him the wealth to construct a temple. On that occasion there were not enough water in the river to conduct daily poojas. So Bhima digged a well near to the Lord's idol using his Gada. Later this place became famous as Paranaaranyam means forest where Paranaveedal was conducted. Paranakananam is the equivalent Malayalam word and later became Paranamkanam and after hundreds of years it became Bharananganam. Since the first abhishekam was conducted using Gauna river water, even today the first abhishekam in the early morning is conducted with river water and later with well water.
Keezhampara
In Malayalam Keezhampara "means rock under earth".This place is also blessed with natural beauty but during summer season thereis a shortage of drinking water around Keezhampara locality.There is a colony consisting of around 50 houses.The people residing here are financially poor.But some of them are well educated and have govt. job.
Accesibility: Nearest cities and towns
Nearest Airport - CochinNearest Railway Station- Kottayam
Kottayam
Kottayam is a city in the Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 55.40 km2. It is the administrative capital of the Kottayam district. Kottayam Kottayam (Malayalam: കോട്ടയം) is a city in the Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 55.40 km2. It is the administrative...
Distance to Cochin/Ernakulam - 75 Km
Distance to Kottayam - 32 Km
Distance to Pala - 5 Km
Distance from Bharananganam to Keezhampara - 2 Km