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
Veda Vyasa
Vyasa, also called Krishna Dvaipayana, is the sage who divided the single Veda into the Rig, Sama, Yajur and Atharva Vedas so that its knowledge could be preserved and taught. Trad...
Dhanwanthari
Dhanvantari is the physician of the gods and an avatar of Vishnu, and the tradition of Ayurveda honours him as its divine source. During the churning of the Ocean of Milk he rose f...
Abhimanyu
Abhimanyu was the son of Arjuna and Subhadra, and while still in his mother's womb he learned how to enter the Chakravyuha, the wheel formation of the Kaurava army. On the thirteen...
garuda
Garuda, the king of birds, is the son of the sage Kashyapa and Vinata. When his mother was enslaved through a wager with her sister Kadru, Garuda flew to the heavens, defeated the...
Temple histories
Kodungallur Sree Kurumba Bhagavathy Temple
Sree Kurumba Bhagavathy Temple at Kodungallur is dedicated to Bhadrakali, lovingly called Kodungallur Amma. Legend says Parashurama, troubled by the demon Darika, prayed to Shiva,...
Koodalmanikyam Temple
Koodalmanikyam Temple at Irinjalakuda is the only ancient temple in India dedicated to Bharata, Rama's brother. A stone inscription of the Chera king Sthanu Ravi, dated to 854–55 C...
Thiruvambady Sree Krishna Temple
Thiruvambadi Sri Krishna Temple in Thrissur worships Krishna as a child together with Bhadrakali, both held in equal regard. The compound also has shrines for Ganesha, Sastha and B...
Paramekkavu Bhagavathy Temple
Paramekkavu Bagavathi Temple is one of the largest Bhagavathy temples in Kerala, standing in the heart of Thrissur near Vadakkunnathan. Sakthan Thampuran organised the temples of t...
Vadakkunnathan Temple
Vadakkunnathan Temple in Thrissur is a classical example of Kerala temple architecture, with a monumental tower on each side and a koothambalam for performances. Its murals depict...
Thrikkakara Vamana Moorthy Temple
Thrikkakara Vamanamoorthy Temple near Kochi is one of the major temples dedicated to Vamana, Vishnu's dwarf avatar, and is around two millennia old. It is counted among the 108 Div...
Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple
Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple at Thrippunithura, near Kochi, worships Vishnu as Santhanagopala Murthy, a form believed to bless childless couples with children. The deity was the fam...
Mangaladevi Temple, Thekkady
Mangala Devi Kannagi Temple stands high in the hills near Thekkady, close to the Tamil Nadu border and inside the Periyar region. It is dedicated to Kannagi, the heroine of the Sil...
Kumaranalloor Devi Temple
Kumaranalloor Devi Temple, a short drive from Kottayam, is one of central Kerala's best-loved Bhagavathy shrines. The goddess is worshipped as Katyayani, a fierce form of Parvati,...