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Daughter of the mountain king Himavan, Parvati performed severe penance to win Shiva, who had withdrawn into grief after Sati.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
Thirupaal Kadal Sreekrishnaswami Temple
The central icon is a four-armed standing Vishnu holding the conch, discus, mace and lotus. The temple is counted among the early Vaishnava shrines of south Kerala.
Pazhaya SreekanteswaraTemple
Historian Elamkulam Kunjan Pillai held that the temple has existed since at least 1000 AD. It is the original abode of the deity later installed at the new Sreekanteswaram Mahadeva...
thripayya temple
The four-armed Rama holds a conch, discus, bow and garland. The temple stands on the river bank at Triprayar and is a major centre of the Thrissur temple festivals.
Mitranandapuram Trimurthi Temple
Mithrananthapuram is one of the few Kerala temples with shrines to Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva together, making it a distinctive stop on the Thiruvananthapuram temple circuit.
Valliyoorkkavu
Valliyoorkkavu is the most important temple of the Wayanad tribal and farming communities. Its long annual festival is one of the biggest in the district.
Sree Shivashakthi Mahaganapathi temple
The temple brings the Shaiva family deities together in one compound and serves the villages of the Chenkal belt.
Mukkolakkal Bhagawathi Temple
Mukkolakkal Bhagawathi Temple is an old city shrine whose annual festival is part of the Sreevaraham temple calendar.
Gandhari Amman Kovil
The compound also houses shrines to Ganesha, Muruga, the Naga Devathas, Bhairavar and the Navagrahas. Chithra Poornima is among its important observances.
Padiyannor Devi Temple
Padiyanoor Sree Chamundi Devi Temple is one of the older Devi shrines of the Kattakada countryside and keeps a traditional annual festival.