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
Thrikkadavoor Sree Krishna Swamy Temple
Thrikkadavoor Sree Mahadeva Temple in Kollam district is one of the 108 Shiva temples of Kerala, administered by the Travancore Devaswom Board and known for its golden flagstaff an...
Kulathupuzha Sree Dharma Sastha Temple
Kulathupuzha Sastha Temple in Kollam district is one of the five great Sastha shrines of Kerala, along with Aryankavu, Achankovil, Sabarimala and Kanthamala. Its idol is said to be...
Ochira Parabrahma Temple
Ochira Parabrahma Temple, on the Kollam–Alappuzha border, is unusual in Kerala for worshipping the formless Parabrahma rather than an installed idol. It is counted among the state'...
Kottarakkara Sree Mahaganapathy Temple
Kottarakkara Sree Mahaganapathy Kshethram is best known for its shrine of Mahaganapathy, though the temple's principal deity is Shiva. The complex also honours Parvati, Murugan, Ay...
Neyyattinkara Sree Krishna Swamy Temple
Neyyattinkara Sree Krishna Swami Temple, south of Thiruvananthapuram, enshrines Krishna as Unnikannan in the Navaneetha Krishna form, holding butter. The temple is believed to have...
Karikkakom Chamundi Devi Temple
Karikkakom Sree Chamundi Devi Temple in Thiruvananthapuram is more than six centuries old and enshrines a panchaloha image of Karikkakathamma, worshipped in three forms — Maha Cham...
Vellayani Devi Temple
Vellayani Devi Temple near Thiruvananthapuram, on the eastern bank of Vellayani lake, is a highly revered Bhadrakali shrine under the Travancore Devaswom Board. Its rituals preserv...
Sarkara Devi Temple
Sarkaradevi Temple at Chirayinkeezhu in Thiruvananthapuram district is dedicated to Bhadrakali and has a long association with the Attingal royal house. The Attingal Ranis, linked...
Janardanaswamy Temple, Varkala
Janardanaswamy Temple at Varkala, near Thiruvananthapuram, worships Vishnu as Janardana, the lord of the people, and is also known locally as Varkaleswara. The shrine is believed t...