Kallil Temple

Kallil Temple is 22 km away from Kalady, the birth place of Adi Sankaracharya. It is a 9th century Jain Temple in Kerala, South India. Kallil is malayalam for 'in stone'.

The temple, located in 28 acre (113,000 m²) plot, is cut from a huge rock and a climb of 120 steps leads to the temple. To reach the temple one has to travel a distance of about 2 km from Odakkali, on the Aluva Munnar Road and 10 km from Perumbavoor. The temple is under the administrative control of Chenkottukonam Sree Ramadasashramam. Earlier the temple was owned by the Kallil Pisharody family.

Durgadevi is the main deity of the temple. The idol of Brahma is seen carved at the top of the rock. "Brahma" is also worshipped along with Siva and Vishnu. The temple closes after Poojas at noon every day and poojas are not being done at night. The annual festival of the temple is conducted eight days starting from the 'Karthika day' in "Vrischikam" (November-December). The procession is being conducted by carrying the idol of the deity on a female elephant.

The Jain deities of Parshvanath, Mahavira and Padmavati devi (worshipped as Bhagawathi by the local population) point to the Jain antecedents of the Kallil Pisharody.

External links

* [http://www.jaintirths.com/art1/kallil.htm Kallil-Eranakulam distt. Kerala]
* [http://www.thrikodithanam.org/intro.htm kallil]