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
Shaktheeswaram Temple
Adi Parashakti is venerated here as the supreme being of Shaktism. The temple has long functioned as a centre for astrology, tantric upasana and the study of Sanathana Dharma.
Ramapuram Sree Rama Temple
The east-facing Rama shrine is the principal deity of a temple complex that has served the Meenachil countryside for centuries.
Poruvazhy Peruviruthy Malanada Temple
Malanada shrines have no roofed sanctum in the usual sense. Devotees hold that the deity here is Duryodhana, making the temple one of the most unusual in Kerala.
Perunna Subrahmanya Swami Temple
Krishna, Shiva, Ayyappan, Mahaganapathi and the Sarpa Devas are also worshipped here. The temple is a major religious centre of Changanassery town.
Kadakkal Devi Temple
Kadakkal's Devi temple is the ritual heart of a village known for its spice trade and for the social reform movements of the pre-independence period.
Ammachiveedu Muhurthi
The temple is open to devotees of every caste and religion. Rather than an idol, the goddess is worshipped through ritual symbols, a rare practice in Kerala.
Sree Balakrishna Swamy Temple
The temple serves the island villages around Kuzhuppilly and is one of several old Krishna shrines in the Vypeen belt.
sreerajarajeshwara temple
The temple lies about two kilometres from Taliparamba town and is closely associated with the Kolathiri rulers. A 14-foot bronze image of Shiva weighing 4,200 kg has been installed...
Lakshmi Venkateswara Temple
Prathishta ceremonies began in 1864 and the installation of Sri Lakshmi Venkatesha was completed on Akshaya Tritiya in 1865 under Srimad Bhuvanendra Tirtha Swamiji.