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
Lokanarkavu Temple
Lokanarkavu Temple at Memunda near Vatakara enshrines Durga and takes its name from Lokamalayarkavu — the grove of the world-mountain. It is closely associated with the ballads of...
Tali Shiva Temple, Kozhikode
Tali Shiva Temple, or Tali Mahakshetram, stands at the heart of Kozhikode and is among the city's oldest shrines. Tradition holds that its linga was installed by Parashurama at the...
Thirunavaya Navamukunda Temple
Thirunavaya Navamukunda Temple on the Bharatappuzha in Malappuram district is dedicated to Vishnu as Navamukundan and is praised in the Divya Prabandha. The name comes from nine yo...
Thirumandhamkunnu Bhagavathy Temple
Thirumandhamkunnu Temple at Angadipuram in Malappuram district was the family deity of the Valluvanad rajas. Its name and festival traditions are tied to the old kingdom and to the...
Meenkulathi Bhagavathy Temple
Meenkulathi Temple at Pallassena in Palakkad district is the oldest shrine of the village, dedicated to the goddess worshipped as Meenakshi. Tradition says three Veerashaiva Mannad...
Panniyur Sree Varahamurthy Temple
Panniyur Sri Varahamurthy Temple at Kumbidi in Palakkad district is believed to be the first temple consecrated by Parashurama in Kerala. The deity is Varaha, Vishnu's boar avatar,...
Kalpathy Viswanatha Swamy Temple
Kalpathy, in Palakkad, is home to the Visalakshi Sametha Viswanatha Swamy Temple, known as Kasi Viswanathaswamy and locally as Kundukovil. It stands on the bank of the Kalpathy riv...
Uthralikavu Bhagavathy Temple
Uthralikavu, at Wadakkanchery in Thrissur district, is the shrine of Rudhira Mahakali and is famed for its annual pooram, one of the largest in central Kerala.The festival brings t...
Triprayar Sree Rama Temple
Thriprayar Shree Ramaswami Temple in Thrissur district enshrines Rama with four arms holding a conch, discus, bow and garland, standing on the bank of the Thirupurayar river. It is...