Timings: 9 AM to 10 AM

Considered as Devi’s favourite offering, Poomoodal is so special and popular that this daily offering has been booked in advance untill A.D. 2050. Daily only 1 offering can be done and when the trustees of the temple opened the booking on 20th March 2000, they were overwhelmed by the onrush of bookings and further bookings were stopped after 12 days when the bookings reached up to 2050 A.D. Only wild Thechi flowers, that too properly cleaned and devoid of any buds or any such impurities are taken for this pooja.

Arjuna’s arrows were turned to wild thechi flowers by Parvathy Devi during his fight with Lord Shiva disguised as the Kiratha King and the Devi was so happy that her husband was being covered with flowers instead of deadly arrows by Arjuna. Poomoodal offering is done similarly in the belief that Devi can be made content the same way. During Poomoodal, the Thidambu that is kept over the Swayambhoo Sthana is removed and 12 Kudanna (each kudanna being the quantity of flowers that can be held within the bowl formed of one’s palms held together) of wild thechi flowers are showered over the Swayambhoo Sthana, completely covering the area with the chanting of appropriate mantras as decreed by Adi Shankara.

Since Arjuna was fasting when he showered flower arrows on Lord Shiva, according to the legend, it is decreed mandatory that the main priest should fast till the pooja is over and earlier, the devotee in whose name the Poomoodal is being conducted also used to fast till the pooja is over. Even though this is not mandatory today, it is always desirable on the devotee’s part to observe fasting till the pooja is over. Once the pooja is over, the fast could be broken by taking the “Theertha” and “Prasad” given by the main priest from the sanctum sanctorum. The Poomodal pooja starts at 9 AM and will take up to 1 – 1.30 hours to complete.

The following are the Maryadas or ethics to be followed while performing this offering.

• The devotee whose turn it is on that day must be present at least by 8 AM at the temple.
• Receipt bearing your name and birth star given from the Devaswom counter must be presented prior to the pooja.
• All men and women should be clean in body and mind prior to entering the temple.
• The clothes that they wear should be fresh and not soiled in any way.
• The clothes should be appropriate matching the solemnity of the temple.
• Men should bare their upper body before they enter the temple.
• All can wash their feet in the temple pond before they enter the temple.
• While the offering is being made on your behalf, stand before the sanctum sanctorum with your mind devoid of all distractions, concentrating on the Devine Presence with utmost supplication and you can be sure that the reason why you are making this offering will be fulfilled. Remember, you are in the presence of “Twaritha Devi” who beseeched her husband, Lord Shiva, to hasten granting his boon to his favourite devotee, Arjuna. The meaning of the Malayalam word Twaritha is “to hasten”. However, also remember that, like what she did with the egoistic Arjuna and Adi Shankara who thought he had all the knowledge to understand everything, Devi will make sure that your mind is pure and devoid of any malice before she will bestow her blessings.
• You will get the Theertham, flowers, sandal paste, the vibhoothi and camphor from the main priest from the sanctum sanctorum itself.
• If you intent to perform a Muttarukkal, it best be done then itself immediately.
• The other Prasad that you can get are “Vella Nivadyam”, "Nai Payasam", "Paal Payasam", "Trimadhuram", Appam etc. Please ensure that you have brought enough vessels to carry these back home from the temple.
• Have a little of the Prasad at the temple itself, outside the main temple, prior to breaking your fast.

 For those who cannot attend the pooja in person, the Devaswom office will courier the Prasad if prior request is made.