Kaviyoor Mahadeva Temple

Kaviyoor Mahadeva Temple is one of the most ancient Mahadeva temples in Kerala. Located at the village of Kaviyoor (one of the ancient 64 Brahmin settlements of Kerala), in Pathanamthitta District, the main deity of this temple is Lord Shiva. Lord Vishnu is also worshipped here. It is one of the popular temples, under Thiruvalla Group of Temples. The temple is commonly known as Thrikkaviyoor Mahadeva Temple. The shrine is also known as Hanuman Temple and Sriparvati Temple.

The main offering to the presiding deity at Kaviyoor Mahadevar Temple is Aval Nadyam and Vada Mala, which can be offered after making a receipt from the counter. The day-to-day activities of the temple include a number of rituals performed to please the presiding deity. The temple also conducts Hanuman Jayanti, which is a ceremonious occasion celebrated to commemorate the birthday of Lord Hanuman.

Establishment
Kaviyoor Mahadevar Temple is a uniquely structured temple. It is considered to be built in the early years of the 10th century. 'Kaviyoor Shasanas' of 950 AD has references of the offerings given to this temple. However, there is no special story or exact dates for the construction of the temple. Two dates - 950-951 AD have been written in the basement of its main sanctum, which depicts that it is one of the oldest Hindus temples in Kerala. The opinion of its oldness has been given by many historians, in which Stella Kramrich calls Kaviyoor Mahadeva Temple as one of the first structural temples of Kerala.

Key Features:
Built in a typical Kerala style of architecture and exuding optimum architectural grandeur, Kaviyoor Mahadeva Temple is one of the oldest structural temples of the state. It features a circular Sreekovil with Sandhara style, copper capped roof, golden flag mast and 18 steps at the eastern entry. Various parts of the beautiful temple are adorned with wooden carvings. It is believed that the holy icons established in the temple belong to late sixteenth or early seventeenth century. Kaviyoor Mahadevar Temple has a huge collection of priceless ornaments bestowing creative fineness of the artists of Kaviyoor. The main Prakara (Sreekovil) has been covered with 44 skillfully crafted rafter shoes.

How to Reach:

By Air
The temple is located at Kaviyoor, which is at the equal distance from two major airports of Kerala - Trivandrum International Airport and Cochin International Airport.

By Rail
The temple is located 5 km away from Thirula Railway station that connects it to important cities of Kerala.

By Road:
From Kaviyoor Mahadevar Temple bus stop, one can board private and KSRTC buses to the nearby towns that include Thiruvalla, Kozhencherry, Changanacherry, and Mallappally.