Spiders are repulsive creatures which are most unwelcome in homes and other places of human activity. But they are objects of worship too for some. And there is an exclusive spider temple in Kerala where even serious spider bites are cured.
This ‘Chilanthi Ambalam’ is located one km east of Kodumon on Ezhamkulam- Kaipattor Road and 10 km from Adoor. It is not a new one, but 1,200 years’ old and attracts hundreds of devotees on Sundays.
Administered by the Travancore Devaswom Board, the temple has Vanadurga as the presiding deity who is a sub-goddess of the nearby Kodumon Sre e Vai - kundapuram Sree Mahavishnu temple.
The victims of spider-bites, even having deep wounds, get relief with the prasadam and ‘theertham’ provided by the temple which has poojas twice a day.
The temple attracts devotees from Tamil Nadu too. Temple melsanthi Madhavan Potti said about 50 devotees approach him for spider-bites treatment every week.
They are given ‘kadalipazham,’ ‘malar, ‘an eatable made from fried paddy and ‘theeratham’ from the well after performing poojas at the temple. And they get cured.
For those who have deep wounds, t h e t h r e e ‘nivedyams’ are prescribed for seven days. Reghunath, the devaswom employee of the temple, said a large number of devotees approach the temple for treatment.
The devaswom charges a nominal amount, ranging from Rs 50 to Rs 100 for the ‘nivedyam.’
Many of the affected got complete recovery from the bites after having ‘nivedyam,’ Raghunath said.
Archana, ‘kadumpayasam’ and garlands are the other important offerings of the temple which also celebrates festivals of Vrischika Karthika and Makara Pongala on the new moon day in the Malayalam month of Makaram.