Origin & History

Since ancient times, the practice of Kalari has been widespread in Kerala. Some practitioners also adopted medical treatment. The Valiya Vilakam family of Venpalavattom was famous for such a tradition. Their family temple is the Venpalavattom temple. The main deities in the Venpalavattom temple complex, which is more than a thousand years old, are Sri Bhadrakali, Chamundi, Durga, Yogeeshwaran, Guru, and Nagar.

This grand temple, which is more than a thousand years old, is one of the prominent temples in Thiruvananthapuram that attracts devotees today. In 2007, the Sri Bhagavathy temple was renovated in the style of a grand temple according to Tantric rules by Dr. Biju Ramesh, a family member and the chairman of the temple. Under the leadership of Dr. Biju Ramesh, in 2018, its administrative body was changed to a public trust consisting of people from various walks of life, irrespective of caste and religion. This public trust now manages the temple. If we trace back, following the footsteps of legends, this great temple has stories intertwined with traditional friendships with the palace during the royal era.

During the Travancore dynasty, when going to Chavadi, which was used on the southern bank of Akkulam Lake for the maintenance of the Karambirivu, there was a footpath through the middle of this area. When this footpath became a gate fort road at Pettah, the Sree Bhagavathi Temple and the Sree Bhadrakali Temple here became separate on both sides of the road. This division is why the two temples, which belonged to the same temple complex, now seem to be two temples on both sides of the road. According to ancient tradition, the rituals in this temple complex began with the singing of Thottampattu on the Uthrattathi star in the month of Kumbha and the festival celebrations with Kuruthi Tharpanam were held on the Makayiram star. Dikkubali and Nerchathukkam were the main rituals of that time. Thala Poli, Kuthi Yottam, and Arattu Gurusi are the main events of the festival. Tens of thousands of female devotees from faraway places come to the Pongala held in connection with the festival and seek the blessings of the goddess. The seven-day festival ends on the Makayiram day with the hoisting of the flag on the Uthrattati star in the month of Kumbha.

This great temple is located in Venpalavattom in Kadakampally village, eight kilometers north of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram. It is a temple of the Venpalavattom Temple Trust. This temple is the origin of the ancient Karikakkam Sree Chamundi Devi Temple and the Thozhuvancode Sree Chamundi Devi Temple. According to supporting documents, when the Kalari was started in Karikakkam, the Chamundi of the Kalari of the Venpalavattom Valiyavilakam family temple was also brought there and installed. The temple built there later is the famous Karikakkam Sree Chamundi Temple.

Kazhakoottam Pillai was one of the most important of the Ettuveetil Pillai. The Kalarikurukkal of his Kalari was the Kalarikurukkal of Valiyavilakam. At that time, Kazhakoottam Pillai won twice in the confrontation with the Maharaja of Travancore. The Maharaja, who inquired about the reason, realized that it was due to the power of the Chamundi in the Kalari of Kazhakoottam Pillai. When the Maharaja started the process of bringing it from there, the goddess appeared before the Kurus and asked them to move the goddess from there. Accordingly, the Chamundi, which was in the Kazhakoottam Kalari, was moved to Thozhuvancode, which was a forest area at that time. That is the current famous Thozhuvancode Chamundi Devi Temple.

The ancient Venpalavattom Sree Bhagavathi Temple houses the largest and most ancient serpent cave in southern Kerala after Mannarasala. The Ayilya Puja, the Nurum Pal Nivedya, and the serpent sacrifice associated with the Ayilya Puja in the month of Thulam are performed as per the rituals. The rare scenes of snakes appearing and drinking milk are a daily sight in Kavil.

Sree Narayana Guru Devan Venpalavattom has the immense power of Adi Shakti and the peaceful presence of Sree Bhagavathy and Sree Bhadrakali here. Another special feature of this temple stands as an adornment to the temple complex. After the Siva Pratishtha at Kulathur Kolathukara, Sree Narayana Guru Devan used to rest under this banyan tree.

Venpalavattom Sri Bhagavathi Temple is a very ancient temple, more than a thousand years old, where the Adi Parashakti is worshipped in the form of Durga, Dra, and Rakta Chamundi at the same place. The presence of Sri Bhadrakali, Sri Durga, and Sri Rakta Chamundi here, and the Yogishwara’s position are very special. People of all castes and religions testify that all diseases, time-related diseases, witchcraft-related diseases, and death-related diseases can be cured by the grace of Venpalavattom Amma with the merit of seeing her here. Venpalavattom, known as ‘Vilichal Vilikkelkum Amma,’ is so quick to respond and gives specific things. There are many testimonies about the grace of Venpalavattom Amma to all those who come here, worship her, and seek blessings for wealth, prosperity, long life, good fortune, and the good fortune of children.

The Gurusi performed here for the victory over death and the destruction of enemies is very special. Knowing the effectiveness of the Gurusi given to Venpalavattom Amma, the number of people who come from different countries to visit the goddess on Tuesdays and Fridays and offer the Gurusi to the Goddess and achieve their desired goals is increasing day by day. It is believed that if you offer food here, you will receive very special merit.

Some Shakteya rituals are also performed in this great temple. The main ones are Karyasiddhi Puja, Pournami Puja, Kaivettaka Gurusi, and Valiya Uruthi. Venpalavattom Sree Bhagavathy is also a Shaktavarana center where all kinds of prayers, pujas, and remedies according to Sattvik Shaktavya are performed under the guidance of learned and experienced Mahatantrikas, providing an opportunity for devotees to obtain Deviprasadam. Venpalavattom Sree Bhagavathy is one of the rare great temples in the same temple complex, with the deities of Goddesses Sri Raktachamundi, Sri Bhadrakali, and Sri Durga. The Karyasiddhi Puja performed here is particularly powerful and helps those who do it with devotion to achieve their desired goals. On the 21st Tuesday, by observing the fast, offering betel, pak, and saffron to the Yogiswaran of the temple, performing Ganapati Homam to the Vishwaran of the temple, and after 21 weeks, by performing special Kumkum Abhishekam to Goddess Durga, the devotees’ desired goals will be fulfilled. In this way, thousands of devotees have participated in Karyasiddhi Puja here and achieved their desired goals. The special Bhagavati Seva and Pournami Puja in the Durga temple here are helpful for the above-mentioned intended Karyasiddhi.

If Guru Puja and Thattapuja are performed to the Yogiswaran, who holds the main position in the temple, as a solution to academic and career obstacles, the intended results will be achieved. Apart from these, diseases caused by planetary influences, solutions to various obstacles, karma-sthana doshas, marital problems, economic recession, auspiciousness, and childbearing can be addressed by reciting the names of the respective planetary lords and offering the corresponding liquid objects to please the lords of the planets.

This great temple, which was the first in Kerala to conduct a seven-day-long Samgasahasa Chandika Yagya under the presiding priest Narasimha Adiga of the Mookambika temple, with the participation of over two hundred advanced priests from India, has already made a place in the minds of pilgrims.