ATTUKAL DEVI TEMPLE

The Attukal Bhagavathy Temple, one of the ancient temples of South India, is popularly described as Sabarimala of the Women, as women form the major portion of devotees. The Goddess in the temple of Attukal is worshipped as the Supreme Mother, creator of all living beings and the mighty preserver as well as destroyer of them all. The pilgrims from all over the country, who visit Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple and worship the Lord, do not consider their visits complete without the visit to the shrine of the supreme Mother Attukalamma. Vishnumaya took the incarnation of Bhagavathy to annihilate the evil and protect the good in the world in the present Era namely Kaliyuga.
According to mythology, Attukal Bhagavathy is supposed to be the divinised form of Kannaki, the famous heroine of Chilapathikaram, written by Elenkovadikal, the Tamil Poet. The story goes that after the destruction of ancient city of Madurai, Kannaki left the city and reached Kerala via Kanyakumari and on the way to Kodungalloor took a sojourn at Attukal. Kannaki is supposed to be the incarnation of Parvathy, the consort of Paramasiva. The all powerful and benign Attukal Bhagavathy reigns eternally supreme at Attukal and nurses devotees as a mother does her children. Thousands of devotees from far and near flock to the Temple to bend before the Goddess with awe and reverence to prostrate and redress their affliction and agony.

The Pongala Mahotsavam is the most important festival of Attukal Bhagavathy Temple. The offering of Pongala is a special temple practice prevalent in the southern part of Kerala and some parts of Tamilnadu. It is a ten-day programme commencing on the Karthika star of the Malayalam month of Makaram-Kumbham (February-March) and closing with the sacrificial offering known as Kuruthitharpanam at night. On the ninth day of the festival the world famous Attukal Pongala Mahotsavam takes place. The entire area of about 5 kilometre radius around temple with premises of houses of people of all caste, creed and religion, open fields, roads, commercial institutions, premises of Government offices etc. emerges as a consecrated ground for observing Pongala rituals for lakhs of women devotees assembling from different parts of Kerala and outside. The ceremony is exclusively confined to women folk and the enormous crowd, which gathers in Thiruvananthapuram on this auspicious day is reminiscent of the Kumbhamela Festival of North India.

This year pongala is on 22nd February 2008.

CHAKKULATHUKAVU TEMPLE

Chakkulathu Kavu is an Indian Hindu temple, dedicated to goddess Durga. The temple is located in Neerattupuram, Alappuzha District, Kerala and is one of the most popular temples in the state.

Bhagawathi is one of the most popular deities in the area. Pilgrims from all over South India used to visit and worship the Devi.

The major festival is Ponkala which takes place in the temple during the month of Vrischikam (November/December).

The other festivals are Panthrandu Noyambu, Naree pooja, Thrikkarthaka.

CHOTTANIKKARA TEMPLE

The Chottanikkara Temple is a famous temple of the Hindu mother goddess Bhagawati. The temple is located near Ernakulam in the southern Indian state of Kerala and is one of the most popular temple in the state, along with Sabarimala. Bhagawati is one of the most popular deities in the area, and she is worshipped at the temple, along with Lord Vishnu, in three different forms: as Saraswati in the morning, draped in white; as Bhadrakali at noon, draped in crimson; and as Durga in the evening, decked in blue.

People suffering from mental illnesses commonly visit the temple, as Bhagawati is thought to cure her devotees. One should not miss the 'Guruthi Pooja' in the 'Keezhkkaavu' temple at Chottanikkara. This is a ritual done at late evening to invoke the goddess.

'Chottanikara Magam' is the famous religious festival in the temple.

On way to the Chottanikkara Temple is the Poornatrayesa temple at Tripunittura.

AMBALAPPUZHA SRI KRISHNA TEMPLE

The Ambalappuzha Sri Krishna Temple is believed to have been built in the in the year AD 790 by the local ruler Chembakasserry Pooradam Thirunal-Devanarayanan Thampuran.

This temple is directly associated to the Guruvayoor Sri Krishna Temple. During the raids of Tipu Sultan in 1789, the idol of Sri Krishna from the Guruvayoor Temple was brought to the Ambalappuzha Temple for safe keeping.

The payasam served in the Ambalappuzha Temple is famous among Hindu devotees. This sweet pudding made of rice and milk has an interesting mythological legend behind it.

Ambalapuzha is a coastal town besides the NH 47 about 13 km to the south of Allepey. The temple of Sree Krishna is located 1.5 km east of the town junction. In the olden the headquarters of the Ambalapuzha rajahs were near the temple. There was a time when the Ambalapuzha territory had been under the rule of Chempakasseri rajahs. But when Marthanda Varma, the valorous ruler of Travancore conquered Chempakasseri territory in 925 M.E., there occurred a gradual declension of the royal family of Chempakasseri. Some people worship the presiding deity of the Ambalapuzha temple as ‘Parathasarthy’ while others as Gopalakrishna but both the names of course, are the two sides of the same coin.

SABARIMALA TEMPLE

Sabarimala is in the hilly regions east of Kerala bordering Tamilnadu. Situated in the midst of 18 hills, in a bowl of land blessed with a small rivulet named Urakuzhi Theertham. Elevation above mean sea level is approximately 1260 Metres/4135 Ft. Sabarimala is located at 010 degrees/115 Km (direct air distance) from the international airport of Thiruvanathapuram (Trivandrum), and 118 degrees/106 Kms from the international airport at Kochi (Cochin).

The most striking aspect about the pilgrimage to Sabarimala is that pilgrims undertake it without caste, creed, position or social status considerations. They go with only one thing "Swami Darshan" on their mind and one mantra "Swami Saranam Ayyappa" on their lips which they chant or shout constantly.

Temples existed in each of the hills surrounding Sabarimala. While many are still intact and functional (at places in surrounding areas like Nilackal, Kalaketi, Inchiparakotta and Karimala) others are in ruins for considerable length of time. Ruins of old temples are visible in the remaining hills.

Guruvayoor Temple

The Guruvayur Shri Krishna Temple is one of the most important and sacred pilgrim centres of Kerala. It is located in Guruvayur town of Thrissur district in Kerala ,India and is easily accessible by road and rail. The presiding deity is MahaVishnu, in the standing posture with four hands which carry a Sankhu(conch), Sudarshana chakram (a serrated disk),lotus and mace. He is worshipped as Balakrishna, the full avatar (Purnaavatara) of Mahavishnu[1] . The idol is made of a rare stone known as Patala Anjana.