Thippangote Temple

We all know the story of Markandeya. He knew he was to die on his 16th Birthday. He was an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva. The time approached and Kalan [Yama] came to capture him. Markandeya ran and reached Nava Mukunda temple at Thirunnavaya. This is a beautiful temple of Lord Krishna on the banks of Nila [Bharathapuzha] river.
Markandeya managed to enter the temple and prayed to Mukunda to save him. Mukunda answered, “I have no power to save your life, so get abhayam with Shiva.” Suddenly a door was formed at the back of the Sreekovil and Mukunda helped Markandeya to escape through it. The door closed on its own, and we can still see that closed door unable to be opened by anyone.
There was a huge Arayal tree on the way which split open to help Markandeya to reach the Thrippangote Shiva temple. That tree fell a few years back.
Markandeya entered the temple and held on to Shivalingam. But by this time Yama reached there and threw the knotted rope on him. But the Shivalinga too caught in the rope. The furious Shiva killed Yama with His Trishool and saved Markandeya. Then Shiva got out of the Sreekovil threw the Trishool with blood of Yama in the pond. Then Shiva took three steps and sat down.
The pond and four Shivalingams in separate Sreekovil are worshiped even now.
 If we know the story we will be astonished to see that this happened in real in our own Kerala. A ShivaLingam was formed wherever Shiva touched his feet. The lingam which formed where He sat down is the main sanctum now. There is a Prathishta of Nava Mukundan too in this temple.
After the Nigraha of Kalan, mankind had to go through “Kalanillatha kalam”. Then how that problem was solved is another story.....