Poojas
Most important period for visiting this temple is Mandala Kalam. It is also believed that a consecutive praying on three Mandala Sundays give results equivalent to a years praying.
The great enmity between the snakes and Garuda are legendary. It is believed; Nagas also come as devotees for Garuda prayer during the Mandala. They prey to get extended their life a year more. Hence devotees visiting the temple during this period also get the benevolence of snakes too. A blessing from Nagas from a temple for their arch enemy is indeed a strange derivative boon for the devotee.
There are also a set of devotees who believe that when Garuda is pleased naturally the anger of Nagas get appeased. Hence it is very logical and beneficial to make offerings to the Garudan Kavu temple to mitigate Naga doshas. Indeed devotees approach the temple for any suffering arising out of poisioning.
Special Vazhipadu
Special offerings are normal here for the following disease sets:
- Skin diseases( chori & chirangu)
- Childhood diseases
- Breathing difficulties (Asthma etc)
- Pandu rogam
- Diseases/ troubles from birds
Garuda is also prayed as the Deva for ecological balance.
A rare ecological practice
Live snakes are offered before Lord Garuda here. People affected by snakes arrive at the temple with live snakes caught in earthen pots covered by cotton clothes. When the temple is open from the gopura the pot is thrown to the temple. The snake will stand up aggressively after this event. The shanthi of the temple will come with Garuda Panchaksari manthra theertha and anoint the arrived snake with it. Then the snake will crawl to the south and is seen no more thereafter. It has become the food for Garuda as it were!
It is a miracle that the temple or its neighbourhood does not get infested with poisonous snakes gradually as could logically be deduced. There is no story of any body receiving a snake bite from the temple for hundreds of years, in spite of this strange practice from devotees.
Special Naivedyaas
Sundays in general is important here, especially in mandala period. The yellow payasam provided here is not known to exist in any other temple in Kerala. It is the most significant one here. The chief ingredient of this payasam - manjal, even according to modern science possesses great healing properties. It is done for the general well being of the family and to get rid of any affectations suffered by the family.
Garuda Panchakshari oil is the most important prasadam here. Devotees anoint their skins with it to relieve of skin diseases, and consume it to get rid of internal poisoning for 12 days with great success!
Another prasadam
Elaneer(tender coconut) and Pazham(fruit)
Fruits are the important and natural food for birds. Here, any fruit along with tender coconut may be offered as nivadeya here for realization of what one yearns for.
Snakes and its eggs (in gold or silver) are also offered at the temple nada for progeny and removal of adverse factors in reproduction.
For mitigation of skin diseases or asthma, basket and vellarikka (cucumber) are offered at the temple nada. It may be made of gold, silver, copper, bronze or wood itself.
Money may be deposited along with in the bhandara depending up on ones financial strength.
To reduce skin discoloration, chori and/or chirangu cheena () is placed at the temple nada as an offering. Natural eatables pleasant for Garuda, is quite a logical extension.
In addition to all this more curative procedures based on Garuda Purana is practiced here. In order to reduce the snake displeasure, their idols in wood, gold or silver are placed at the nada. Garuda Panchaksari Pushpanjali and Sarpa Dosha Parihara Pooja are famous here. Milk and dust nivedya are also usual for pleasing the snakes. Ghee and oils with Garuda Panchaksari recitals are given to devotees for internal consumption against poisoning.