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
Jenardhanan Swamy temple
Also known as Varkala Temple, it is dedicated to Vishnu as Janardanaswamy, locally called Varkaleswara. The shrine is one of the best-known pilgrimage stops of southern Kerala.
Kamaleswaram Mahadeva Temple
The temple serves the Kamaleswaram neighbourhood and follows the traditional Kerala pooja schedule.
Sree Vayillamkunnu bhagavathi temple
The shrine sits on the route to Cherpulassery and is one of the traditional Devi temples of the Valluvanad region.
Pariyanempatta Bhagavathi Temple
The temple and its precincts are often compared with the Mookambika temple at Kollur. Its annual festival remains a major gathering for the villages of Valluvanad.
Palakkavu Bhagavathi temple
The Edava Palakkavu Bhagavathi temple is one of the older shrines of south Kerala and holds its annual festival with traditional processions.
Meenkulathi Temple
Meenkulathi serves the Tamil-speaking villages around Pallassena and keeps a distinct ritual calendar influenced by both Kerala and Tamil traditions.
Mangottu Bhagavathi Temple
Mangottu Bhagavathi is regarded as the younger sister of Parakkattu Bhagavathi, whose temple stands nearby at Kavasseri.
Manapullikavu
Manapullikavu is closely tied to the agricultural calendar of the Palakkad plains and celebrates a large annual pooram.
Kadampuzha Devi Temple
The main deity is Parvati in the form of a huntress. There is no idol; the goddess is worshipped in a pit, and the presence of Ganesha is also believed to be felt at the shrine.