Sree Melur Thalachilavan Temple

Padinjarethara, Kuthannur East, Dist. Palakkad.

Sree Melur Thalachilavan Temple is an ancient Hindu temple located in Kuthanur Grama Panchayat in Palakkad district, Kerala. The main deity is Kirathamurthy (Lord Shiva in his hunter form), while Sree Bhagavathy is also worshipped in the temple. With a history spanning several centuries, along with rich traditions and legends, the temple is an important place of worship for devotees. Nestled amidst peaceful natural surroundings, the temple attracts many devotees throughout the year and is a fine example of Kerala’s temple heritage.

According to available records, centuries ago, a group of spice traders from Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu migrated to the eastern regions of Palakkad. Later known as the Mannadiar community, they settled in Padinjarethara in Kuthanur and became active in agriculture and trade. It is believed that Sree Melur Thalachilavan Temple was established around 600 years ago under the leadership of Sankaran Mannadiar, a member of the Chokkat family, with Kirathamurthy as the main deity. In recognition of his important role in establishing the temple, Sankaran Mannadiar was honoured with the title ‘Guru Karanavar’ and a separate shrine was installed for him on the southern side of the temple. Even today, members of the Mannadiar community, under the administration of Sree Melur Thalachilavan Devaswom Committee, continue to preserve the traditions and manage the affairs of the temple.

According to temple legend, while returning after attending a festival at Melur in Kozhikode, Chokkat Sankaran Mannadiar prayed sincerely for the presence of the deity in his own village as well. After reaching his home in Kuthanur, he placed a turmeric basket on the floor and later found that it could not be lifted as it had become firmly fixed to the ground. It is believed that a divine presence entered him and during the astrological consultation conducted afterwards, it was revealed that Thalachilavan Bhagavan (Kirathamurthy) had arrived from Melur to Kuthanur seated in the turmeric basket. According to the legend, Palakkad King Rajasekhara Varma, who was longing for a child, prayed to the deity and was later blessed with a son. As a mark of gratitude, the king is believed to have constructed the present Sreekovil and main shrine and donated agricultural land to the Devaswom for the daily maintenance of the temple. Even today, many devotees offer prayers here seeking blessings for childbirth, especially for the birth of a male child.

The temple is a beautiful blend of traditional Kerala architecture and Tamil architectural style. Spread across around five acres, the temple premises are noted for their peaceful natural beauty. Upon entering the temple, the interlocked pathway, courtyard, large temple pond and shade-giving banyan trees are the first sights that welcome devotees. In front of the main entrance is a tiled-roofed elephant shelter (Nadappura) built on concrete pillars, where special ceremonies and programmes are held. Inside the Nadappura, the tall flagstaff and the stone lamp tower nearby add to the beauty of the temple. Beyond the main entrance is the tiled Chuttambalam with long doors and verandas in traditional Kerala style, reflecting the architectural heritage of the temple.

The main feature of the temple is its two principal Sreekovils, which have different architectural styles and facing directions. The square-shaped Sreekovil of Kirathamurthy (Thalachilavan) is built in the traditional Kerala style. The Namaskara Mandapam in front of it and the traditional wood and stone carvings of Kerala are notable features. The north-facing Sreekovil of Bhagavathy reflects a blend of Tamil and Kerala architectural styles, with the main flagstaff of the temple placed opposite to it. The Thalachilavan deity, depicted in the form of a hunter (Kiratha) holding a bow and arrow, is a rare representation of Lord Shiva. Unlike the usual Shiva temples where the deity is worshipped in the form of a Shiva Lingam, this temple has a human-like form of Shiva. Another unique feature of the temple is that Thiru Purakkal Bhagavathy and Mannath Bhagavathy are installed together on the same pedestal in the north-facing Sreekovil. The shrines of Ganapathy, Lord Shiva and Subrahmanyan are located on the western side of the main Sreekovil, while Bhairavan is placed on the northern side of the temple. A separate shrine for Guru Karanavar Sankaran Mannadiar, who played an important role in the establishment of the temple, is situated on the southern side.

The most important festival of the temple is Kanyarkali, celebrated from the 1st to the 5th day of the Medam month (April). During the five-day festival, traditional art forms of the Mannadiar community, such as Vattakkali and Purattukali, are performed in the temple premises. After Kanyarkali, Tholpavakoothu, a traditional shadow puppet performance based on the Ramayana, is conducted in the special Koothumadam during the month of Edavam for the worship of Bhagavathy. Other important celebrations include Koottappooja (Pongala), conducted as part of Tamil tradition, Maha Shivaratri, Vishu, Ramayana month observance during Karkidakam and Navaratri festival during Kanni month. Special poojas are performed for the Bhagavathies during Navaratri and Vidyarambham is conducted on the day of Vijayadashami.

Among the main offerings at the temple, the Turmeric Basket Offering holds an important place as it is associated with the temple legend. Devotees perform this offering for relief from illnesses and to remove obstacles in life. Couples also offer special poojas and prayers seeking the blessing of children. Dhara, Shankhabhishekam and Pinvilakku are some of the important offerings made to the deity. For the Bhagavathies, devotees offer Koottappooja (Pongala), Kadumpayasam, Neypayasam, Pattucharthal and special poojas conducted on Tuesdays. In addition, devotees perform Thulabharam using items such as sugar, rock candy and turmeric for the health and long life of children.

The temple remains open every day from 05:00 AM to 11:30 AM and from 05:00 PM to 07:00 PM. The day begins with the opening of the temple and Palliyunarthal at 05:00 AM, followed by Nirmalya Darshan at 05:15 AM, Abhishekam at 05:30 AM, Ushapooja at 06:30 AM and Uchappooja at 10:30 AM. After the morning rituals, the temple closes at 11:30 AM. In the evening, the temple reopens at 05:00 PM, followed by Deeparadhana between 06:15 PM and 06:30 PM and Athazha Pooja at 06:45 PM. The temple closes at 07:00 PM after the completion of the daily rituals. On festivals and special occasions such as Kanyarkali, Tholpavakoothu, Maha Shivaratri and Navaratri, the pooja timings and temple opening hours may vary.

Key highlight :-

• Located 12 km from Alathur and 26 km from Palakkad town.
• The nearest railway station is Palakkad Railway Station, located about 27 km away.
• KSRTC and local bus facilities are available to the temple.
• Private vehicles can be parked in the temple’s parking area.
• Accommodation and food facilities are available in the nearby towns.
• Contact number +91 9946409163