Chirakkal

Chirakkal Chira

      The big pond in Chirakkal popularly known as Chirakkal Kovilam Chira was a wonderful creation of the Kolathiris.Mooshaka kingdom, present Kasaragod, Kannur and other nearby places of north Kerala state in India, had come to be known as Kolathunad and the rulers known as Kolathiris. The Kovilakam (Palace in the Malayalam language) of Kolathiris were in Chirakkal, 6 km from the present Kannur town. Kolathiri were also known as Chirakkal Raja or King of Chirakkal. The southern branch of this family ruled over Venad and is today known as the Travancore Royal family.

       Kolathiris are the successors of Mooshiks Kings who ruled Northern Kerala in AD First Century. The detailed history of this dynasty and Hidden history of this region is mentioned in "Mooshika Vamsham" a Sanskrit poetic Text, written by Athulan in the AD 10th century. Mooshika Vamsham is believed to be one of the earliest Sanskrit Books written based on the History of Northern Kerala.Kolathiris were political and commercial rivals of the Zamorins of Kozhikode.Historian Nandakumar Koroth in his work History of Bekal Fort argued that the Bekal Fort and Chandragiri Fort were originally under the Chirakkal Rajas until the time of Shivappa Naik's Invasion of Kolathunadu. 

      Chirakkal Chira is associated with the Chirakkal Dynasty.Mooshaka kingdom, present Kasaragod, Kannur and other nearby places of north Kerala state in India, had come to be known as Kolathunad and the rulers known as Kolathiris. The Kovilakam (Palace in the Malayalam language) of Kolathiris were in Chirakkal, 6 km from the present Kannur town. Kolathiri were also known as Chirakkal Raja or King of Chirakkal. The southern branch of this family ruled over Venad and is today known as the Travancore Royal family.
      Kolathiris are the successors of Mooshiks Kings who ruled Northern Kerala in AD First Century. The detailed history of this dynasty and Hidden history of this region is mentioned in "Mooshika Vamsham" a Sanskrit poetic Text, written by Athulan in the AD 10th century. Mooshika Vamsham is believed to be one of the earliest Sanskrit Books written based on the History of Northern Kerala.

     Chirakkal Chira spread over 14 acres is one of the prestigious and oldest monument of Kannur. It was the property of the Chirakkal royal family but now turned into a public property .

Chirakkal Kadalayi Sree Krishna Temple

     Chirakkal Sri Krishna Temple is one among the ancient temples in Kerala . Thousands of pious devotees throng the Chirakkal Sri Krishna temple all round the year to catch a glimpse of Lord Krishna. There is an interesting legend associated with the origin of the temple. It is believed that the idol of Lord Vishnu consecrated here is the very idol worshiped by Sathyabhama, the consort of Lord Krishna at Dwaraka in the Mahabharata Era more than 5,000 years ago. One day it so happened that she failed to notice her husband standing nearby as she was immersed in performing Pooja to the idol. The Lord, furious, kicked the idol off the pedestal. It flew into the nearby sea, when its right hand was broken. Time and tide took the idol to the Kannur sea belt off Dwarka. A fisherman happened to net it. It being a precious catch, he presented it to King Valabhan, the Kolathiri King ruling over the area in that period.

     The king had constructed a temple, Kadalayi, in a village about 6 km (3.7 mi) north of Kannur and was on the lookout for an idol to be consecrated there. The astrologers understood the sanctity of the idol and confirmed that the idol, though its hand was broken and thus deformed, was worthy of consecration. The idol was thus consecrated at Kadalayi. When the temple was ruined due to the devastating onslaught of time a new temple was built at Chirakkal 180 years ago and the old idol re-consecrated. The temple, though situated at Chirakkal, is still referred to by its old name, Kadalayi.

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