Kalpathy Temple-Kerala

Situated 3 km form the town of Palakkad Kalpathy is the oldest shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is also known as Viswanantha Swamy Temple. It was built by Kombi Achan in 1425 AD. This religious place is famous for its annual chariot race.

Legend: There is a myth associated with this religious place. According to this a widow named Lakshmiammal visited Banaras. She brought a Shiva lingam from there and placed it on the south bank of Neela River. From that day this became a famous worship abode. Because of this it was named Kasiyil Pakuthi Kalpathy which means half Banaras.

Festivals: The annual festival of Ratholsavam is celebrated with great enthusiasm. It lasts for seven days. On the last three days of the celebrations thousands of devotees pull the magnificently decorated chariots of the temple. Each chariot is decorated with flowers, flags and idols of gods. During this the streets of this town is filled with several travelers who come here from every part of the world. Everyone tries to touch the holy rath to gain Lord Shiva's blessings. These raths travel all across the town and pulling these is considered a matter of pride and honor.

Structure: This temple is associated with Kashi Viswanatha Temple because Lord Shiva is the chief deity in both the religious places. Therefore Kalpathy is considered as another Kashi. It has 18 stairs which led to eastern tower. There is also a stone inscription at the front gate. The idol here is located in the east facing the direction of Kuber. In this shrine Lord Shiva is worshipped as Viswanathaswamy and his wife Goddess Parvati is worshipped as Visalakshi. The idols here are believed to be fixed on a pedestal made of Ashtabandhanam which is a mixture of eight elements. This help in holding the idols in right position.

Author Bio: Plan Kerala Tours to visit the Kalpathy Temple.