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Daughter of the mountain king Himavan, Parvati performed severe penance to win Shiva, who had withdrawn into grief after Sati.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
Dakshina Mookambika Temple, North Paravur
Dakshina Mookambika Temple at North Paravur in Ernakulam district is a southern seat of the goddess Mookambika of Kollur. The sanctum stands in the middle of a lotus pool, and the...
Cochin Thirumala Devaswom
Cochin Thirumala Devaswom, also called Gosripuram, is the principal religious institution of the Gowda Saraswat Brahmin community of Kerala. It stands in the Cherlai quarter of Mat...
Cherthala Karthyayani Temple
Karthyayani Devi Temple at Cherthala in Alappuzha district is one of the famous Devi shrines of the Kerala coast. The goddess is honoured as Mangalya Dayini, the giver of auspiciou...
Chengannur Mahadeva Temple
Chengannur Mahadeva Temple in Alappuzha district is one of the great Shiva temples of Kerala, counted alongside Ettumanoor, Kaduthuruthy, Vaikom, Ernakulam and Vadakkunnathan. Shiv...
Chakkamkulangara Siva Temple
Chakkamkulangara Siva Temple at Thrippunithura in Ernakulam district is an ancient Shiva shrine, more than a thousand years old and built in the Kerala-Dravidian style. Parvati is...
Aryankavu Sastha Temple
Aryankavu Sastha Temple stands near the Tamil Nadu border in Kollam district, one of the five principal Shasta temples of Kerala. The name is read as the sacred grove of the Arya,...
Annapurneshwari Temple, Cherukunnu
Annapoorneshwari Temple at Cherukunnu in Kannur district is dedicated to Annapurna, the goddess of food, and is unusual in keeping Krishna as a co-deity in the same shrine. The sit...
Achankovil Sastha Temple
Achankovil Sastha Temple lies on the banks of the Achankovil river in Kollam district and is one of the five major Shasta temples of Kerala, with Kulathupuzha, Aryankavu, Sabarimal...
Ernakulathappan Temple
Ernakulam Shiva Temple, known to devotees as Ernakulathappan, is regarded as the guardian deity of Kochi. The temple's traditions are linked to the Cheranalloor Kartha family, and...