Religious/ Spiritual

Past the Kumarapuram agraharam, on the banks of river Bharatapuzha, the Kumarapuram Temple was once a hotspot for vedic learning. The deity at the temple, Lord Prasanna Venkatachalapathy has his consorts, Alamelu and Mangalambal accompanying him. Venkatachalapathy is equated with Lord Balaji of Tirupati and even the rites performed here are similar to the ones carried out at Tirupati. The temple is open between 6 to 10.30 in the morning and 5 to 7 in the evening.

This temple is located on the southern banks of river Kalpathy and is around 3 km from Palakkad. The temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva in 1425, is not a huge structure, nevertheless it has a huge flagpole which is put to good use during the annual Chariot festival. The festival, a huge crowd puller, continues for seven days and has people competing with each other to pull the elegantly beautified chariot supposed to be made sacred by the presence of Lord Shiva. On usual days, the temple is open from 5 to 11.30 am and then from 5 to 7.30 pm.

Situated on the western suburbs of Palakkad town, not far from the railway station, this historic 32 feet long, 20 feet wide granite temple displays images of the Jain Thirthankaras and Yakshinis.

An interesting legend associates itself with the temple. According to it, Goddess Bhagvati agreed to appear before a holy man but disappeared when she saw a number of people waiting for her. The holy man had, in his excitement, spread the news throughout the village which resulted in a devotees thronging in large number. However, the devotees did see her upraised hand as she was emerging from the temple. Since then, the deity is worshipped in three forms here - as Sarasawati in the morning, as Lakshmi in the noon and as Durga in the evening.

The Christ Church is situated in a spectacular place in Munnar. This church is significant as it is constructed nearly 110 years.

This Christ Church of Munnar is divine even today. It was built by the British tea planters. It reflects the poise of construction and the holiness is felt at the entrance of the church. It looks magnificent with stain glass windows and is very beautiful amidst the thronging natural beauty.

This place houses the only Garuda Temple in India. The temple has golden snakes around it and also houses a rather unusual shrine of Lord Vishnu. Vishnu is here worshipped in a tortoise form. Pilgrims, on their way to Sabarimala shrine stop here to pay their respect. The temple is open from 5 to 10 am and then from 5 to 6 pm. On Sundays, timings are a bit different - from 5 to 10.30 am and then from 4.30 to 6 pm.

Tanur is famous for its Keraladheesapuram Temple which is supposed to be around 3000 years old. Unfortunately, the murals inside the temple have been covered by coats of paints and even the idol that adorns the temple is not the original one (just installed two years back). The forces of Tipu Sultan destroyed the original idol. Tanur is also important because it is considered the place where St Francis Xavier, an Apostle of East, paid a visit. There is also a beautiful beach in Tanur.

The Pazhayangadi Mosque here is the highlight. The white dome of the mosque and its filigree work make it appear immensely pious. Moreover, the overall architectural style of the mosque instantly reminds of the famous Mughals. The mosque is open from 8 am to 5.30 pm and only Muslims are allowed to enter inside.

This is a 280 year old mosque that was built by a Hindu family. The story of the mosque goes that the Hindu Prana Nambi family, once, usurped the belongings of the Muslims. Thereafter, they were afflicted with a deadly disease. To correct its misdeeds, the family built a mosque, which we today know as the Jamaat Mosque. Women are not permitted inside the mosque which has now become a sort of pilgrim centre for the Muslims. Close to the mosque is a mausoleum dedicated to the shaheeds of the Malappuram who laid down their lives in the Mopilla revolt.

Around 15 km west of Tirur is the Sastha Temple believed to be built by the renowned sculpture, Perunthachan. The idol of Lord Ayappa here stands at the same level as the river Bharatpuzha that flows behind. During monsoons, when the flood water fills in the temple and the surrounding area, arattu or the holy bathing of the idol is carried out.