By Deity
By State
8 temples across South India.
Krishna
A famous Krishna temple in Alappuzha where legend holds that Lord Krishna himself challenged a chess prodigy and, upon losing, offered himself as a slave. Since then, the temple has served 'paal payasam' (sweet rice pudding) free to all devotees daily — a tradition believed to be over 1,000 years old.
One of the 108 Divya Desams (Lord Vishnu as Parthasarathy — Krishna as Arjuna's charioteer). Famous for the Aranmula Boat Race (snake boat race on the Pampa river, the oldest in Kerala) and the unique Aranmula Kannadi (metal mirror made only here). Part of the Kerala Ashtamangalam pilgrimage circuit.
A revered Krishna temple in Kerala, one of the most visited Vaishnava shrines in South India, where the deity is worshipped as Guruvayurappan. Known as 'Bhuloka Vaikunta' (Vaikuntha on earth), the temple's elephants — housed at the nearby Punnathur Kotta sanctuary — are famous throughout Kerala and take part in its major festivals.
Padmanabha
A historic Vishnu temple in Thiruvananthapuram, where the deity is enshrined in the Anantha Shayanam posture, reclining on the serpent Adishesha. Renowned for its Dravidian gopuram and storied treasure vaults, it has traditionally been the family deity of the former Travancore royal family.
Ranganatha
A Divya Desam Vishnu temple on the banks of the Bharatapuzha river — the site of the historic Mamankam festival held every 12 years (the 'Kumbh Mela of Kerala') where the Zamorin of Kozhikode presided. Lord Navamukunda (Vishnu with nine faces) is rare and unique to this temple.
One of the 108 Divya Desams, built in traditional Kerala style. Lord Sree Vallabha (Vishnu in a seated posture) is enshrined here. The temple elephant Gajendrakshetra is famous. The annual Champakkulam Moolam festival with 70 elephants in procession is a spectacular sight.
The second principal temple of the Thrissur Pooram, competing with Paramekkavu Bhagavathy in the grandest elephant procession in Kerala. The Thiruvambady Sri Krishna's elephant procession and the climactic 'Kudamattam' (umbrella exchange between the two groups) is the centrepiece of Thrissur Pooram festival.
The royal temple of the erstwhile Cochin royal family, dedicated to Lord Poornathrayeesa (Vishnu holding a conch, disc, and mace in all three aspects). The Vrishchikotsavam festival here involves 50+ caparisoned elephants and is one of Kerala's grandest temple festivals. Located 12 km from Kochi.
