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
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.