Theyyam is a Hindu religious ritual practiced in northern Kerala and some parts of Karnataka. Theyyam is also known as Kaḷiyāṭṭaṁ or Tiṟa. Theyyam consists of traditions, rituals and customs associated with temples and sacred groves of Malabar. The people of the region consider Theyyam itself as a channel to a god and they thus seek blessings from Theyyam.
Parassini Madappura Sree Muthappan temple is a temple located at Parassinikadavu in Anthoor municipality on the banks of the Valapattanam river about 10 km (6.2 mi) from Taliparamba and 20 km (12 mi) from Kannur town in Kannur district, Kerala, India. Principal deity of the temple is Sree Muthappan, whose divinity is presented as a ritualistic theyyam enactment in two versions called Thiruvappan and Vellattam. According to the local tradition the presiding deity is a manifestation of Lord Shiva.
The Vadakkumnathan Temple is an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva in Thrissur, in the Thrissur district of Kerala, India. The temple is a classical example of the architectural style of Kerala and has one monumental tower on each of the four sides in addition to a koothambalam. Mural paintings depicting various scenes from the Mahabharata can be seen inside the temple. The shrines and the Kuttambalam display vignettes carved in wood. The temple, along with the mural paintings, has been declared as a National Monument by India under the AMASR Act. According to popular local lore, this is the first temple built by Parashurama, the sixth avatar of Vishnu. Thekkinkadu Maidan, encircling the Vadakkumnathan Temple, is the main venue of the renowned Thrissur Pooram festival.
The Rajarajeshwara temple is a Shiva temple located in Taliparamba in Kannur district of Kerala State of India. The temple is regarded as one of the existing 108 ancient Shiva Temples of ancient Kerala. It also has a prominent place amongst the numerous Shiva temples in South India. It had the tallest shikhara amongst the temples of its time. The Rajarajeshwara temple has a top of about 90 tonnes. If any problem is encountered in the other temples of South India, devotees seek a solution in this temple through a prashnam, a traditional method of astrological decision-making. The prashnam is conducted on a peedha outside the temple.
Rama Varma Kunji Pillai Thampuran (1751–1805), or Rama Varma IX, popularly known as Sakthan Thampuran, was the ruler of the Kingdom of Cochin. The current southern Indian city of Kochi was part of the erstwhile princely state of Kochi. He resided at Vadakkechira Palace in Thrissur. The city of Thrissur is referred to as the Cultural Capital of Kerala owing to its many traditional festivals and historic temples. Sakthan Thampuran is considered the architect of the city of Thrissur. The festival Thrissur Pooram was started by him.
Nileshwaram or Nileshwar or Neeleswaram is a municipality and a major town in Kasaragod District, state of Kerala, India. It is one of the three municipalities in Kasaragod district; the others are Kasaragod and Kanhangad. Nileshwaram is located on the estuary of Kavvayi Backwaters and Neeleshwaram River. Nileshwaram is referred to as the cultural capital of Kasaragod, the northernmost district of Kerala. "The first Chief Minister of Kerala and communist leader E. M. S. Namboodiripad,Kamaran Nair had contested elections to the Assembly from the Neeleswaram segment."
Shakthan Thampuran Palace is situated in City of Thrissur in Kerala state, India. It is named as Vadakkekara Palace, was reconstructed in Kerala-Dutch style in 1795 by Ramavarma Thampuran of the erstwhile Princely State of Cochin, well as Sakthan Thampuran is preserved by Archaeological Department. The palace was converted into a museum in 2005 by State.
Madhur Sree Madanantheshwara-Siddhivinayaka Temple is a popular Shiva and Ganapathi temple located 7 km (4.3 mi) from Kasaragod town, on the banks of Mogral river, locally known as Madhuvahini. Though the main deity of this temple is Lord Shiva known as Madanantheshwara, meaning the god who killed Kama, the god of desires, more importance is given to Lord Ganapathi, who is installed facing south in the main sanctum itself. Priests of this temple belong to the Shivalli Brahmin community. Kashi Vishwanatha, Dharmasastha, Subrahmanya, Durga Parameshwari, Veerabhadra and Gulika are the sub-deities of this temple. There is also presence of Goddess Parvati inside the main sanctum.
Madayikavu (Māḍāyik्kavu), also known as Thiruvarkadu Bhagavathi Temple, is a significant ancient Kaula Shakti shrine in Kerala, located near Pazhayangadi, Kannur. With a distinguished history spanning over two millennia, the Kavu was administered by various regional dynasties. The Bhagavathi was revered by these dynasties as their royal family deity, and they also carried out renovations of the Kavu at multiple junctures throughout history.
Chittilamchery is a village in the Palakkad district of Kerala located in Vadakkanchery - Kollengode main road. It is under the administration of the Melarcode Panchayath in the Alathur Taluk.
ThiruvanchikulamSivaTemple is a Hindu temple situated in Kodungallur in Thrissur district of Kerala state, India. Constructed in the Kerala style of architecture, the temple is believed to have been built during the Chera period. Shiva is worshipped as Mahadeva and his consort Parvathi as Umadevi. There are 33 sub-deities in this temple, the highest number so in Kerala.
Irumkulangara Durga Bhagavathi Temple is a Hindu temple in Thottam, Manacaud P.O, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. It is about 1.8 kilometres to the southwest of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram city.
Ernakulam Shiva Temple, also known as Ernakulathappan Temple, is one of the major temples of Kerala, located in heart of Ernakulam, Kochi,Kerala, India. The temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is considered as the city temple, with the presiding deity as the protector of the city, as per local Hindu faiths and traditions. As per the common practice in Kerala, the deity is reverently called Ernakulathappan, which means Lord of Ernakulam. The temple is located within the Durbar Hall Ground. The temple history itself has deep association with history of the city and was one of the 7 royal temples of Kochi Maharajas. The temple is now under administration of Cochin Devaswam Board. The temple in its current form was built under active patronage of Diwan Sri Edakkunni Sankara Warrier in year 1846 and raised it level of a Royal temple in the Kochi Kingdom. The temple is built on 1-acre (4,000 m2) land. The temple is one of the major Shiva temples in Kerala counted along with the Ettumanoor Mahadevar Temple, Kaduthruthy Mahadeva Temple, Vaikom Temple, Chengannur Mahadeva Temple, Vadakkunathan temple, and Sreekanteswaram Mahadeva Temple, Thiruvananthapuram.
Sree Valayanad Devi Temple dedicated to Bhagavathy, is situated in Valayanad near Kozhikode in North Kerala, India.
Kottiyoor Temple is a prominent Shiva temple in Kottiyoor, Kannur, Kerala, India. It was under the Kattan dynasty of Puralimala, from which the name 'Katti-yoor' originated. This name later evolved into Kottiyoor in the local dialect. Vadakkeshwaram Temple is the common name of the temple from ancient times, but some of the local people address the temple as Ikkare Kottiyoor as it is on the bank of the river close to the Kottiyoor village, to differentiate it from the shrine in the other side of the river. Thruchherumana Kshetram is also another name by which temple is known. The temple is a special category temple under Malabar Devaswom board.
Kalarivathukkal Bhagavathy Temple, Bhadrakali Shrine located near Valapattanam river, is the family shrine of Chirakkal Royal Family. The deity of the shrine is the fierce form of Bhadrakali. Kalarivathukkal Bhagavathy is considered as the mother of the ancient martial art Kalarippayattu and hence the name. The shrine is administered by Malabar Devaswom Board and classified as Category A Temple of the board. Kalarivathukkal has come from the word Kalari Vaatilkal.
The Mukkolakkal BhagawathiTemple is a famous temple of the Hindu mother goddess Bhagawati. One of the renowned Goddess Temples in Kerala, Sree Varaham Mukkolackal Bhagavathi Temple is situated at Sreevaraham, on the south-east of Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram. The temple is situated on the south of the famous Sreevaraham Lakshmi Varaha Temple. 'Ooruttu Mahotsavam', the annual religious festival of the temple, is conducted in March - April every year.
Palkulangara Devi Temple is a Hindu temple in Palkulangara, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. This place is around 1 km from Pettah junction, 700 m from West Fort junction and 1.5 km from Chakka bypass junction. It is about 1.5 km to the west of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple. The temple is under the control of Sree Palkulangara Devi Temple Trust. The temple is an excellent example of Kerala Vasthu Vidya. The abode of Sree Palkulangara Devi is one of the most ancient temples in Kerala. There is also a kavu in the temple.
The Thalassery carnival, the Beach fest in Muzhappilangad beach and Dharmadam beach are notable attractions. The area's four rivers around Thalassery town and four beaches with more in Kannur also attract visitors.
Mappila Theyyams are a variant of Theyyam performed in North Malabar especially in Kasaragod district it is related to the Mappila Muslims of Malabar Coast. This Theyyam is deified by Mavilan, Koppalan and Vannan communities and is done with the cooperation of Hindus and Muslims. The characters of this theyyam are mostly spirits of Mappilas that are related to the local deities. The common names of male Mappila theyyams are Aali, Aandi, Mukri, Poker, Bappiriyan, Kunhali, Mammu, Mammad etc. Ummachi and Naithiyar are the common names attributed to female theyyams.The dialogues of Mappila theyyams have mentions about Islamic migration to Kerala in the 7th century and communal harmony.
