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Kerala Tourism – The Mythological Town of Kalady

By Manoj

Kalady is a small village located near the Periyar River in Kerala. Kalady means 'footprint' and the village was formerly known as Sasalam. It is the birthplace of Adishankara, the great saint who established the doctrine of Non-dualism or Advaita Vedanta school of the Hindu philosophy.

It is a very popular destination for pilgrims from all over India, especially the followers of Adishankara. A temple for Adishankara was built here in the year 1910.

Kallil Devi Temple

Kallil Devi Temple

One of the places to visit in Kalady is Kallil Devi Temple. It is a Jain temple built in the 9th century. Kallil means stone in Malayalam. You have to climb 120 steps cutout in the rocks to reach the temple. The main deity of worship is Durga Devi. The other deities of worship are Parshvanath, Mahavira and Padmavati Devi also known as Bhagwathi Devi. The image of Brahma is carved on the rock.

Photo Courtesy: Praveen K C

Adi Shankara Keerthisthambam

Adi Shankara Keerthisthambam

The Adi Shankara Keerthisthambam Mandapam was built by the Kanchi Kamakoti Mutt. It is an 8 storey structure which leads to the Paduka Mandapam. There are two silver knobs that represent the 'Padukka' of the teacher. A 'Padukka' means wooden sandals of the teacher or Guru. The memorial hall showcases various paintings, which depicts the life history of Adi Shankracharya. The Mandapam has several statues of Ganapati and Adi Shankracharya. The Shrine is open to people of all religion.

Photo Courtesy: Praveen K C

Kuzuppillykkave Jaladurga Temple

Kuzuppillykkave Jaladurga Temple

A must visit place in Kalady is the Kuzuppillykkave Jaladurga Temple. This ancient temple is surrounded by water from all sides, and the water has never dried up. The deity worshipped here is Goddess Durga. Within the temple, the Jaladurga festival is held and is celebrated for 16 days.

Photo Courtesy: Praveen K C

Ramakrishna Ashram

Ramakrishna Ashram

The Ramakrishna Ashram is a branch of Ramakrishna Math. It is located at the birthplace of Adi Shankara. It has a huge spacious hall used for prayers, and a shrine which is modelled like the Sri Ramakrishna temple at Belur. The ashram runs a school, charitable trust and library. The Ramakrishna Ashram is situated in the lap of nature. You can come here to pray and seek solace.

Photo Courtesy: Challiyan

Vamanamoorthy Temple

Vamanamoorthy Temple

The Vamanamoorthy temple is one of the rare temples dedicated to Lord Vamanam, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The temple is styled in ancient Kerala architecture and is situated in Thrikkakara. Inscriptions on this temple date back to the 10th and 13th century. The best time to visit this temple is during the Onam celebration as Lord Vamanam is related to the legend behind Onam. The other deities worshipped in the temple are Lord Ganesha and Goddess Annapoorneswari.

Photo Courtesy: Hari Vishnu

How to Reach Kalady

How to Reach Kalady

By Air: The nearest Airport to Kalady is the Kochi Airport at a distance of 7 km. This airport is connected to all the major airports in India and many cities abroad.

By Train: The nearest railway station is in Aluva, which is 18 km from Kalady, and is connected to all the major Indian cities like Chennai, Bangalore, Delhi and Mumbai. Trains from all major cities have a stopover here.

By Road: Bus services are also available from Kerala to Kalady. The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation operates many buses which commute the route to Kalady. The availability of private buses also makes travelling by road, a happy experience. The super deluxe buses connect Kalady to other major South Indian cities

Photo Courtesy: Navaneeth KN

Read more about: kerala
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