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Daughter of the mountain king Himavan, Parvati performed severe penance to win Shiva, who had withdrawn into grief after Sati.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
Jenardhanan Swamy temple
Also known as Varkala Temple, it is dedicated to Vishnu as Janardanaswamy, locally called Varkaleswara. The shrine is one of the best-known pilgrimage stops of southern Kerala.
Kamaleswaram Mahadeva Temple
The temple serves the Kamaleswaram neighbourhood and follows the traditional Kerala pooja schedule.
Sree Vayillamkunnu bhagavathi temple
The shrine sits on the route to Cherpulassery and is one of the traditional Devi temples of the Valluvanad region.
Pariyanempatta Bhagavathi Temple
The temple and its precincts are often compared with the Mookambika temple at Kollur. Its annual festival remains a major gathering for the villages of Valluvanad.
Palakkavu Bhagavathi temple
The Edava Palakkavu Bhagavathi temple is one of the older shrines of south Kerala and holds its annual festival with traditional processions.
Meenkulathi Temple
Meenkulathi serves the Tamil-speaking villages around Pallassena and keeps a distinct ritual calendar influenced by both Kerala and Tamil traditions.
Mangottu Bhagavathi Temple
Mangottu Bhagavathi is regarded as the younger sister of Parakkattu Bhagavathi, whose temple stands nearby at Kavasseri.
Manapullikavu
Manapullikavu is closely tied to the agricultural calendar of the Palakkad plains and celebrates a large annual pooram.
Kadampuzha Devi Temple
The main deity is Parvati in the form of a huntress. There is no idol; the goddess is worshipped in a pit, and the presence of Ganesha is also believed to be felt at the shrine.