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
Kurumba Bhagavathi
The Kodungallur temple, linked in local tradition with the Chera capital and with Kannaki of the Silappathikaram, holds the goddess as Kurumba, the fierce mother. Her Bharani festi...
Karthyayani
Karthyayani is the form of Durga born to the sage Katyayana, invoked in the Devi Mahatmya as the slayer of the buffalo demon Mahisha. She is the sixth of the Navadurgas and is wors...
Bhuvaneshwari
As the fourth Mahavidya, Bhuvaneshwari is the cosmic mother whose form contains all the worlds. She is worshipped with the Sri Yantra and the sounds of the three bijas, and is hono...
Rajarajeshwari
As Lalita, the goddess arose from the fire of the churning of the ocean and defeated Bhandasura with her Sri Chakra army. At Chottanikkara she is worshipped in both her fierce and...
Mookambika
The Kollur temple tradition tells of the goddess who killed the demon Mookasura and who blessed Adi Shankara. She is worshipped as a form of Parvati and as the source of the arts a...
Vanadurga
In Kerala's kavu tradition, Durga is honoured in her forest form at groves that are left uncut and protected. She guards the boundary between the village and the wild, and her wors...
Karinkali
Karinkali is honoured as Bhadrakali in her darkest aspect. At Kannenkavu in Malappuram, the Karinkali Pooram gathers ritual dancers painted black, embodying the goddess's furious p...
Karuppaswamy
Karuppu is honoured as a warrior guardian who stands at the entrance of the village and the temple, armed with a sword and a whip. In the Tamil and Kerala border traditions he is o...
Vamana
When Mahabali's rule became too proud, Vishnu took birth as the dwarf Vamana and asked for three paces of land. With two steps he covered earth and heaven, and with the third he pr...
Temple histories
Thiruvancheri Kavu
Thiruvancheri Kavu is counted among the thirteen Shakteya temples of Kerala linked to Kashmir Shaivism. The site preserves old ritual practices and a sacred grove.
Thottuva Dhanwanthari Temple
Dhanwanthari, the physician of the gods, is worshipped here for health and healing. The temple is one of the best-known Dhanwanthari shrines of Ernakulam district.
Kalamassery Mahaganapathy Temple
The temple is the main Ganapathy shrine of the Kalamassery area and draws large crowds during Vinayaka Chaturthi.
Sree Venu Gopala Swamy Temple, Purakkad
Gowda Saraswath Brahmin devotees from across the world bring their children to this temple for their first offerings, keeping alive a long coastal trading community's religious tra...
Sree Veda Vyasa Temple
The shrine stands close to the Chakkulathukavu Bhagavathi Temple and is one of the few temples in India dedicated primarily to Veda Vyasa, the traditional author of the Mahabharata...
Valiyakoikkal Temple
The main deity is Ayyappan. Each year the sacred ornaments of Sabarimala are carried in procession from the Pandalam Palace through this temple, drawing pilgrims along the route.
Thirumittakode Anchumoorthi Temple
Also called Thiruviththuvakkodu, the temple houses five images: one of Shiva and four of Vishnu. It is one of the notable Vaishnava-Shaiva shrines of the Palakkad river country.
Chinakkathoor Temple
The temple has two shrines, Thazhekavu and Melakavu. Its pooram is one of the best known in Palakkad district, with caparisoned elephants, traditional percussion and puppet perform...
Kodungallurkavu Bhagavathy Temple
The goddess is known as Sri Kurumba and Kodungallur Amma. The temple's Bharani festival, with its oracles and traditional songs, is among the most distinctive celebrations in Keral...