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
Gandharva
In the Puranas the Gandharvas are the heavenly singers who play for the gods. In Kerala's groves they are honoured as nature spirits, and shrines to Gandharva and Yakshi are found...
Bhairava
When Brahma's fifth head grew arrogant, Shiva cut it off and was afflicted with the sin of Brahmanahatya. He wandered as Bhairava until the sin was released in Kashi, where he beca...
Veerabhadra
When Sati immolated herself at Daksha's yajna, Shiva tore a lock from his hair and created Veerabhadra, who destroyed the sacrifice and subdued the gods assembled there. He is wors...
Andal
Kodhai, a foundling raised in Srivilliputhur, grew up in devotion to Ranganatha and insisted on marrying him. She merged with the deity and became Andal, she who ruled the Lord, an...
Duryodhana
Duryodhana was the eldest of the hundred Kauravas, the sons of the blind king Dhritarashtra and Queen Gandhari. His jealousy of his Pandava cousins shaped the rivalry that led to t...
Brahma
Brahma is the creator of the Trimurti, the trinity he shares with Vishnu the preserver and Shiva the dissolver. Puranic tradition describes him emerging from the golden egg Hiranya...
Gandhari Amman
Gandhari, princess of Gandhara, was married to the blind prince Dhritarashtra and blindfolded herself for life in solidarity with him. Through a boon she became the mother of a hun...
Bhoothanatha
Bhoothanatha means the lord of the bhootas, the hosts of spirits that attend Shiva. In Kerala the name is given to Shiva in his role as guardian of the sacred ground, and the deity...
Indilayappan
Indilayappan is the presiding deity of the ancient Avanavanchery temple near Attingal in Thiruvananthapuram district. Temple tradition identifies him with Shiva and Umamaheswara, a...
Temple histories
Kapalikkulangara Sree Mahavishnu Temple
The shrine shares the temple town of Taliparamba with the Rajarajeshwara Temple and serves the local Vaishnava community.
Cherai Gowreeshwara Temple
Known locally as Gowreeshwara, the temple is a focal point of the Cherai villages and draws visitors during its annual festival.
Altharakkal Sree Muthappan Madapura
Local tradition regards Muthappan here as a manifestation of Shiva. The madapura keeps the theyyam-based ritual tradition of the Kanhangad countryside.
Maramkulangara Krishna Temple
The principal deity is Krishna in his child form. The shrine is counted among the Abhimana temples of Vishnu in the Kochi region.
Anandeswaram Mahadeva Temple
Anandeswaram Sree Mahadeva Kshethram is counted among the oldest shrines of Pandanad in Chengannur taluk, and forms part of the village's traditional temple cluster.
Makaliyam Sreerama Swamy Temple
Local tradition holds that the temple was built during the Chera dynasty and that a major fire once destroyed much of the original structure; the present shrine was rebuilt around...
Adichikkavu Sree Durga Devi Kshetram
Also called Adichikavu Devi Temple, it is one of the oldest temples of Pandanad in Alappuzha district and is closely linked with the village's other old shrines.
Thamaramkulangara Sree Dharma Sastha Temple
The temple is a familiar landmark of Tripunithura and its festival, with caparisoned elephants and traditional ensembles, is one of the town's best-attended celebrations.
Manakkattu devi temple
The temple stands about four kilometres east of Harippad in Karthikappalli taluk. It is administered jointly by the Thekkummuri, Kottakkakam, Naduvattom and Thrikkunnapuzha karayog...