Thread by @almightykarthik

Hello dear Tweeples!

Today, I'm gonna share about a temple, dedicated to someone most of you might have not even thought about, let alone hear about it.

The temple l'm talking about is 'Poruvazhy Peruviruthy Malanada' temple and this temple is dedicated to Duryodhana.

You heard me right, the same Kaurava Prince/King, known for his ‘Thamoguna’ driven thoughts and actions. The principle evil-doer in the epic Mahābhāratha.

Do read on to know, how did Duryodhana has a temple dedicated to him and other interesting facets of the temple.
@shreikanth

Malanada - literally means a Nada (Temple) on the Mala (Hill). Unlike other temples, there is no deity, nor a ‘Sreekovil’ as such in Malanada. Down the hill on the south and west we see vast low lying paddy fields and on the east and north habitated agricultural land. @twt_Sonam

In place of Sreekovil and deity we could see only a raised platform called ‘Althara’ or ‘Mandapam’. In the absence of an idol, devotees submit themselves to a divine power (of their imagination/understanding) through a mental process of ‘Sankalpam’.
@IndiaTales7 @InfoVedic

It is believed that the ‘Sankalpa Moorthy' at Malanada is ‘Duryodhanan’. The story goes as follows:

As part of his efforts to trace out the ‘Pandavas’ in exile, Duryodhana traversed the forests in the south and reached Malanada hill. @HelloNNewman @ANaayak_ @Dharma_Yoddhaa

By that time he was much tired and went to a nearby house on the north west of Malanada and asked for drinking water. It was Kaduthamsserry Kottaram, where Malanada Appoppan, the priest and ruler of the land was staying.
@harshdeshpremi @hathyogi31 @Sanskritii_1 @Itishree001

An elderly woman gave him toddy which was customary at that time as a mark of respect. The king enjoyed the drink, but realized after seeing the ‘Kurathali’ worn by the woman that she belonged to a tribal group by name ‘Kurava’.
@LevinaNeythiri @vinsinners

Duryodhana didn't think much about it and appreciated the divinity of the place and its people who possessed supernatural powers (Siddha). Thereafter, in furtherance of his ‘Rajadharma’, the Prince King sat on the hill and worshipped Lord Siva, praying for the welfare of his +

people (the prajas). As an act of charity in return for
the hospitality shown by the people, he gave away
100s of acres of agricultural land and paddy fields as
freehold to the ‘Devasthanam’. Even now the land tax
of the above property is being levied in the name of
‘Duryodhanan’

The Prince King also ensured that Gandhari (The Royal
Mother), Dussala (his sister) Karnan (his close
associate and ‘Angarajan’), Dronar (his ‘Guru’) and
the other members of his family were properly and
adequately aboded and worshipped in the nearby places and +

@desi_thug1

members of the ‘Kurava’ group are
poojaris in all such places.

So, why am I sharing about a temple dedicated to
Duryodhana? Bcos, I see a valuable lesson in this
incident.

While Duryodhana is an overall bad guy, he
did do good Karma by following Rajdharma here for
which he's is celebrated as a precoding deity. And
lesson I see here is that, every deed of yours come
back to you.
@Go_Movie_Mango @Arpitapedia @irudragaur

Life is not a balance sheet where X
number of Adharma can be cancelled out by doing
same number of Dharma. Every act of Dharma and
Adharma comes back to you.

For his overall douchery, Duryodhana will be forever
reviled, but his small act of Rajdharma is also equally
rewarded.

Hope we all take this lesson to heart and act
accordingly.

Have a great evening! 🙂🙏

Info courtesy: malanada.com

Pics: Credit to respective owner

@BesuraTaansane