Thiruvanchikulam Temple

Thiruvanchikulam Siva Temple (medieval Thiruvanchaikkalam Temple) 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. The presiding deity is revered in the 7th century Tamil Saiva canonical work, the Tevaram, written by Tamil saint poets known as the Nayanmars and classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam, one of the 276 temples that find mention in the canon. It is the only temple in Kerala in the list. As per Periyapuranam, Sundara Murthi Nayanar, one of the four great saints in Tamil Shivism ascended to heaven from this place. Cheraman Perumal, the traditional legedary king of Kerala, is believed to went to ‘Kailasa’ with his companion Saiva saint, Sundaramoorthi Nayanar from this temple premises. The temple is open from 4 am - 12 pm and 4-8:30 pm on all days except during festival days when it is open the full day. Four daily rituals and three yearly festivals are held at the temple, of which the eight-day Mahashivaratri festival in the Malayalam month of Kumbham (February-March) is the most prominent. The temple is maintained and administered by the Thiruvanchikulam Devaswom under the Cochin Devaswom Board.