Kaduthuruthy Thaliyil Shri Mahadeva Temple

Historical and specialty information for this listing.

History

Kaduthuruthy Mahadeva Temple has a rich history connected with the ancient Vadakkumkoor kingdom. Historical records indicate that the region once served as an important center under the Vadakkumkoor dynasty. Nearly 300 years ago, a massive fire severely damaged the temple, but the beautifully carved wooden mandapam survived untouched. Temple history also remembers the devotion of the chief priest, who sacrificed his life while protecting the deity from the flames. In memory of his sacrifice, an idol of the priest was later installed on the northern side of the shrine. The temple later came under the administration of the Travancore Devaswom Board. Temple traditions also state that an aged Vadakkumkoor king, who could no longer travel to Vaikom and Ettumanoor for worship, arranged for replicas of those deities to be installed inside Kaduthuruthy temple. During earlier centuries, the temple festival reportedly lasted for twenty-eight days. Later, Sethu Lakshmi Bayi revive

Remarks

Kaduthuruthy Thaliyil Mahadeva Temple is regarded as one of the holiest Shiva temples in Kerala and holds immense spiritual and historical significance. The temple is widely known as “Thaliyil Mahadevar” and is considered the smallest among the sacred Shiva trio temples of Vaikom, Ettumanoor, and Kaduthuruthy. The temple is especially admired for its beautifully carved mandapam featuring scenes from the mythological story Karthaveerarjuneeyam. Another unique feature is the presence of replica idols of Vaikom and Ettumanoor Mahadeva temples inside the temple complex, symbolizing the spiritual connection between the three shrines. The temple follows traditional Kerala temple customs and attracts thousands of devotees during festivals, Shivaratri celebrations, and the annual Ulsavam festival.

The legend of Kaduthuruthy Mahadeva Temple is deeply connected with the epic Ramayana. According to temple mythology, the demon Khara, one of the Khara-Dhooshana duo mentioned in the Ramayana, was an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva. After performing severe penance at Chidambaram, Lord Shiva became pleased with his devotion and gifted him three sacred Shiva Lingams. Khara then traveled south carrying one Lingam in each hand and the third in his mouth. During the journey, he became exhausted and placed the Lingams at different locations. The first Lingam was installed at Vaikom, the second at Ettumanoor, and the third — which he carried in his mouth — was installed at Kaduthuruthy. It is believed that the name “Kaduthuruthy” originated from the phrase “Kadichiruthy Prathishta,” meaning “the idol placed from the mouth or bite.” Because these three Lingams were installed by the same devotee, devotees believe that worshipping all three temples before noon on the same day fulfills wishes and grants divine blessings.

Kaduthuruthy, Kottayam, Kerala, India