In the heart of Thrissur in Kerala stands the ancient Vadakkunnathan temple, one of the oldest and most revered Shiva shrines of the land, traditionally held to have been founded by Parashurama, the sage-avatar of Vishnu who, legend says, raised Kerala from the sea. A superb example of classical Kerala temple architecture — with its tiered roofs, its koothambalam performance hall, and its exquisite murals — the temple enshrines Shiva as Vadakkunnathan.
So many centuries of ghee offerings have been poured upon the linga that it is hidden beneath a great mound of ghee. The temple stands at the centre of the celebrated Thrissur Pooram, one of Kerala's most spectacular festivals of caparisoned elephants and drums. Serene amid the bustle of the town, Vadakkunnathan is among the most sacred and beautiful of Kerala's shrines.
