Stories of gods and temples.
The origin stories of Kerala's deities and the histories of its temples — legends of creation and courage, of saints and rulers, and of the shrines that keep them alive.
Stories of the gods
Bhagavathi
Bhagavathi is the mother goddess honoured across Kerala in her many forms — Bhadrakali, Durga, Kali and the countless village deities who protect the land and its people. The word...
Parvati
Daughter of the mountain king Himavan, Parvati performed severe penance to win Shiva, who had withdrawn into grief after Sati. Their marriage is celebrated as the union of matter a...
Saraswati
Saraswati is the goddess of knowledge, speech, music and learning, seated on a white lotus with a veena in her hands. As the river Saraswati faded from the earth, the goddess withd...
Murugan
Born to Shiva and Parvati, Skanda was raised by the Krittikas and by the fire, and grew into the youthful commander of the divine army. With his vel, the spear of divine wisdom, he...
Ayyappa
Manikandan, the son of Shiva and Vishnu as Mohini, was adopted by the Pandala king and saved the kingdom from the demoness Mahishi. He then withdrew to Sabarimala, where he blesses...
Hanuman
Hanuman, the son of the wind, leapt the ocean to Lanka, found Sita, carried the Sanjivani mountain to save Lakshmana and served Rama with perfect devotion. His strength is always o...
Ganesha
Parvati created Ganesha from clay to guard her door. When Shiva returned and did not recognise the boy, he cut off his head in anger, then restored him with the head of an elephant...
Subrahmanya
Subrahmanya received the vel from his mother Parvati and led the divine army against Surapadma. The demon's defeat is celebrated in the Skanda Purana, and the spear remains the god...
Dattatreya
Anasuya, wife of the sage Atri, pleased the Trimurti by her devotion, and they were born to her as the single child Dattatreya. He grew up as a wandering avadhuta, and the traditio...
Temple histories
Chakkulathukavu Temple
Chakkulathukavu is one of Alappuzha district's most visited shrines. Women devotees gather in large numbers for the Nari Pooja, and the temple's annual festival draws pilgrims from...
Madhur Sree Madanantheshwara Siddhivinayaka Temple
Madhur Temple near Kasaragod, on the Madhuvahini river, honours Shiva as Madanantheshwara but is best known for its Ganapathy shrine. Tradition says an elderly woman named Madaru f...
Kalarivathukkal Bhagavathy Temple
Kalarivathukkal Bhagavathy Temple near Valapattanam enshrines the fierce form of Bhadrakali and is honoured as the mother of Kalaripayattu, the martial art of Kerala. The name is l...
Peralassery Sree Subrahmanya Temple
Peralassery, on the Anjarakandy river in Kannur district, is home to the well-known Sree Subrahmanya Temple. The shrine has long been a centre of devotion for the surrounding villa...
Trichambaram Sree Krishna Temple
Trichambaram Temple at Taliparamba in Kannur district enshrines Krishna in a fierce posture after the slaying of Kamsa. The temple is listed among the Abhimana Kshethrams, the hono...
Rajarajeshwara Temple, Taliparamba
Rajarajeshwara Temple at Taliparamba in Kannur district is one of the 108 ancient Shiva temples of Kerala. Tradition credits its founding to Parashurama, with Vishwakarma as archit...
Parassinikadavu Muthappan Temple
Parassini Madappura Sree Muthappan Temple at Parassinikadavu, on the Valapattanam river in Kannur, worships Muthappan, a deity who combines aspects of Shiva and Vishnu. The temple...
Thirunelli Maha Vishnu Temple
Thirunelli Temple lies on the slope of Brahmagiri in Wayanad, close to the Karnataka border and about 900 metres above sea level. It is dedicated to Maha Vishnu and counted among t...
Valayanad Devi Temple
Sree Valayanad Devi Temple near Kozhikode is the family deity of the Zamorin kings. The goddess is worshipped as Bhagavathy, and the shrine is closely tied to the political and dev...