KADAMPUZHA BHAGAWATHI TEMPLE

According to an aitihya (legend), the Kadampuzha Temple, Malappuram, Kerala is closely linked to Mukasura killing episode. During the fierce fight between Kirata and Arjuna, Kirata gets wounded. This makes the Kirata woman angry and curses Arjuna that - let the arrows from Arjuna be shower of flowers.

Arjuna realizes that Kiratas are Lord Shiva & Parvathi and prostrates. Shiva and Parvathi blesses Arjuna with Pasupatastra.

This Kirata women is the main deity at Kadampzha and "poo moodal' - covering with flowers- is the main offering. There is a Kirata Shiva temple one mile west. Kirata with bow and arrow is the main deity and both these deities face each other. There is a belief that one has to visit both the temples to please Kadampuzha Devi.

The temple is located in the vicinity of Kozhikkode, about six miles from Kottakkal, in the village of Kadampuzha. The deity, Sri Parvati, is Lakshmi, Saraswati, Durga, and Bhadrakali all in one, as a kirati. She is made of pancha loha. She is considered extremely powerful on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, the crowded days of the temple. The deity is so small and unremarkable, hard to see on special days because She is covered with thecchi (thetti, chetti) flowers. The worshipper gets to see only the wick lamps around Her. The best time to see the deity is early morning before She is covered. The temple has its own dhyana-slokam.

The temple was originated by Kaladi Sankaracharya approximately 818 A. D. The 108 Durga temples of Kerala are said to have the power to remove obstacles, and Kadampuzha, being a Durga temple, is included in that category. This is one of the older temples not situated by a river bank. The temple is not impressive in size, shape, or location, but known for its power.