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
Irumkulangara Durga Devi Temple
Irumkulangara Durga Bhagavathi Temple is one of the principal Devi shrines within Thiruvananthapuram city and is known for its Navagraha worship.
Anikkattilammakshethram
Jagat Pita and Jagat Mata share one sreekovil here, a rare arrangement in Kerala temple architecture. The shrine is an important family-deity temple for central Travancore.
Kilimarathukavu Temple
The temple also houses images of Dharma Sastha and Ayyappan. It was taken over by the Travancore Devaswom Board under a government order and is maintained as a major local shrine.
Sasthamcotta Sree Dharma Sastha Temple
The shrine is surrounded on three sides by Kerala's largest freshwater lake. Its monkeys are considered sacred and are fed by devotees, a tradition that has made the temple widely...
Pisharikavu Temple
Pisharikavu is a well-known Devi shrine of the Koyilandy coast and its annual festival draws devotees from across Malabar.
Pattupurakkal Bhagavathi Temple Kattambak
Also known as Kattampack Kizhakkum Bhagam Pattupurackal Bhagavathy temple, it is the only shrine in Njeezhoor with Bhadrakali as presiding deity and is known for its namaskaram off...
Sri Chakrapani Kshethram
Chakrapani, the discus-bearing form of Vishnu, is the presiding deity of this old temple in the northernmost district of Kerala.
Vayalil Thrikkovil Mahavishnu Temple
The Lakshmi Narayana pooja is held here twice a month. Ashtami Rohini Maholsavam and Bhagavatha Sapthaham are the temple's main annual observances.
Thrikkavu Temple
Thrikkavu Sri Durga Bhagavathy Temple is one of the oldest shrines of Ponnani and is associated with the region's early temple tradition.