Mannarasala Amma Savitri Antharjanam releases a book, Mannarasala Sree Nagaraja Temple: Coiled in Divine Mystique, at a function held at the temple in Haripad on Wednesday. Sridhar Aranala, Vice President Hindu, Suresh Kumar Pillai, Managing Director and Head of Circulation (Kerala), and senior members of the temple trust are seen.
The book Mannarasala Sree Nagaraja Temple: Coiled in Divine Mystique was released on Wednesday by The Hindu Group of Publications.
Mannarasala Amma Savitri Antharjanam released the book at a function held at the temple. She received a copy from Sridhar Aranala, Vice President, Sales and Distribution, The Hindu.
Addressing the function, temple trust member MS Nagadas said that the progress of any society depends on understanding its identity.
Mr. Aranala recalled the efforts of The Hindu Group of Publications to document the country’s rich heritage.
“Our constant endeavor has been to bring the subject we are writing a book to the reader. So far we have successfully completed 190 titles with the active support of our partners and readers. The Hindu’s Shrine Series has been at the forefront of our publications,” he said.
MK Kesavan Namboodiri, member of the temple trust, presided.
MG Jayakumar, MN Jayadevan, members of the trust, and Suresh Kumar Pillai, managing director and circulation head, The Hindu (Kerala) spoke.
The 96-page book, which includes a wide range of photographs, explores the unique socio-religious and ecological landscape of one of the most important Naga worship centers in the country. It highlights the rare matriarchal legacy of the temple, where Valiya Amma (Mannarasala Amma), the wife of the eldest male member of Mannarasala Illam, serves as the head priestess, a tradition unbroken for centuries amid the country’s said to be male-dominated priestly sphere.
The book details how the faith is inextricably linked to nature, specifically the sacred groves or ‘Kavus’ that surround the shrine, which are ecological fortresses containing more than 30,000 Naga idols.
The book, which chronicles the history through a variety of sources, including colonial reports, includes the 17th-century observations of Dutch explorer Johan Nieuhof and a VOC report by Commander Hendrik van Rheede that documented Naga worship, along with a detailed 19th-century description of the temple’s premises and rituals provided by British missionary Samuel Mateer.
The book also covers rituals, major festivals, various deities, family history of the Illams, Naga iconography and the deep mythological significance of the Nagas in Hindu thought.
Published – 15 Oct 2025 22:13 IST
