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
Sai Baba
Sai Baba arrived as a young ascetic at Shirdi and stayed for decades, living in a ruined mosque and radiating love to Hindus and Muslims alike. He performed no public miracles for...
Navagraha
The Navagraha are the nine planetary deities — Surya, Chandra, Mangala, Budha, Guru, Shukra, Shani, Rahu and Ketu — whose movements are believed to shape time and destiny. Most Hin...
Surya
Surya is the son of Kashyapa and Aditi and the father of Yama, Manu and the Ashvins. The Aditya Hridayam, a hymn to the sun, was taught to Rama before his battle with Ravana, and t...
Chandra
Chandra, the moon god, emerged from the churning of the ocean and married the twenty-seven Nakshatras. His special fondness for Rohini is told in the Puranas, and his waxing and wa...
Shani
Shani is the son of Surya and Chhaya, and his stern gaze tests the deeds of every being. He is the lord of Saturn, the great teacher of karma, discipline and patience, and his dela...
Lakshmi Narasimha
After Narasimha slew Hiranyakashipu, his fierce energy would not subside, and the gods feared it might consume the worlds. Lakshmi came to him, and her presence calmed the lord; th...
Ardhanareeshwara
When Parvati embraced Shiva, their forms merged into one body, half male and half female. The image of Ardhanareeshwara reveals that the divine masculine and feminine are not two t...
Panchamukha Hanuman
To rescue Rama and Lakshmana from the underworld, Hanuman took five faces — Hayagriva, Narasimha, Garuda, Varaha and his own — and blew out the lamps that guarded the demon Ahirava...
Family Deities (Kuladevata)
Each family lineage preserves its own kuladevata, the guardian deity of the household, honoured at weddings, naming ceremonies and family festivals. The deity is often a local godd...
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...