The Vadakkumnathan Temple in the center of Thrissur is one of the first and most highly worshipped temples of Kerala. Made solely of wood and stone, it is a perfect example of the Kerala-style architectural features, detailed carvings, lovely murals showing the scenes from the Mahabharata, and a large number of the temple's old relics. According to the legend, it was created by Lord Parasurama, the mythological sage who is said to have reclaimed Kerala from the sea.
The temple area is nine acres large with a lot of trees and has a Koothambalam, the temple theatre of Kerala. The restoration work, which took more than ten years, was done in such a way that the original methods of construction and rituals were preserved, and therefore it was appreciated by UNESCO's Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation.
Rituals and Festivals
Vadakkumnathan Temple is very famous for its different rites and festivals. The Anayoottu ritual held in the Karkidakam month (June-July) includes feeding the elephants ritually with rice, ghee, coconut, jaggery, and sugarcane by which a large number of devotees are attracted.
Thrissur Pooram is the temple festival for which the temple gets world-famous, and it is performed yearly in April-May. It is the queen of all temple festivals, comprising decorated elephants, colorful parasols, dazzling fireworks, and the charming Ilanjithara Melam orchestra with the use of traditional instruments like the chenda, kombu, and elathalam. The Kudamattom performance, during which colorful parasols are exchanged rhythmically on the top of the elephants, producing an amazing spectacle, is one of the main events at the festival.
A divine safe haven where spirituality, culture, and art are combined, the Vadakkumnathan Temple is still the symbol of the rich heritage of Kerala that has stood the test of time.
Temple Timings
Morning: 04:00 A.M. - 11:00 A.M.
Evening: 05:00 P.M. - 08:30 P.M.
How to Reach
Thrissur KSRTC Bus Station is located at a distance of around 850 meters Vadakke Bus Stand is about 900 meters away Shakthan Thampuran Bus Stand is located at a distance of around 1.3 km
Thrissur Railway Station is about 1.3 km from here
Cochin International Airport is located at a distance of around 50 km
Contact Information
Swaraj Round, Thekkinkadu Maidan, Thrissur-680001
+91 487 242604
wadakkunathantemple2020@gmail.com