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
Shaktheeswaram Temple
Adi Parashakti is venerated here as the supreme being of Shaktism. The temple has long functioned as a centre for astrology, tantric upasana and the study of Sanathana Dharma.
Ramapuram Sree Rama Temple
The east-facing Rama shrine is the principal deity of a temple complex that has served the Meenachil countryside for centuries.
Poruvazhy Peruviruthy Malanada Temple
Malanada shrines have no roofed sanctum in the usual sense. Devotees hold that the deity here is Duryodhana, making the temple one of the most unusual in Kerala.
Perunna Subrahmanya Swami Temple
Krishna, Shiva, Ayyappan, Mahaganapathi and the Sarpa Devas are also worshipped here. The temple is a major religious centre of Changanassery town.
Kadakkal Devi Temple
Kadakkal's Devi temple is the ritual heart of a village known for its spice trade and for the social reform movements of the pre-independence period.
Ammachiveedu Muhurthi
The temple is open to devotees of every caste and religion. Rather than an idol, the goddess is worshipped through ritual symbols, a rare practice in Kerala.
Sree Balakrishna Swamy Temple
The temple serves the island villages around Kuzhuppilly and is one of several old Krishna shrines in the Vypeen belt.
sreerajarajeshwara temple
The temple lies about two kilometres from Taliparamba town and is closely associated with the Kolathiri rulers. A 14-foot bronze image of Shiva weighing 4,200 kg has been installed...
Lakshmi Venkateswara Temple
Prathishta ceremonies began in 1864 and the installation of Sri Lakshmi Venkatesha was completed on Akshaya Tritiya in 1865 under Srimad Bhuvanendra Tirtha Swamiji.