Eventhough many sarawathi temples perform pooja only during the ‘Navarathri period, this temple offers pooja throughout giving ‘darshan’ to the devotees. Two things specially to be noticed here are the creepers and the immaculate spring. The leaves of the creepers which cover the idol are considered saraswathy leaves. The water comes from the spring here flows touching the feet of the “Devi” never dries even in the peak time of summer. Since the devi remains on such a “Saras” (small rivulet) the name saraswathy becomes meaningful. The water required for poojas and other needs are taken from the spring. No well or other water sources are available here. Above the saraswathy temple on the western side there is a natural habitat made of exotic plants and their fragrant flowers.
Here lives the ‘yakshi’ who is atonce fastidious and easily made happy. The idol of ‘brahmarakshasu’ is also installed here. Eventhough there are yakshi shrines in other temples, as well, the power of the yakshi at panachikadu seem to be super. In addition there are idol of Siva, Sastha, Ganapathi, Nagayakshi, Nagaraja and the like sub deities too here.When we reach the precincts of the temple we see first a “Vishnu temple” just a few metres south of the Vishnu shrine we can see the ‘saraswathy temple’ in a natural valley with the water dripping and flowing around the idol. The temple does not have the traditional sanctum sanctorum and other pompous structures of the temples elsewhere. There is a rectangular pond like structure as though it has been caved out of a granite hillock. In this pond there grows lush green creeper plants of exquisite beauty. Covered by the creeper the original ‘idol’ of saraswathy remains. Near the original idol of “devi saraswathy” there is another alternate idol on which all the poojas are performed.When we reach the precincts of the temple we see first a “Vishnu temple” just a few metres south of the Vishnu shrine we can see
Dharshan Timings
