Chottanikkara Bhagavathy Temple

Chottanikkara Bhagavathy is one of Kerala's foremost Devi shrines, revered as a compassionate mother who restores health and peace of mind to the suffering. The worship of the goddess in three forms through a single day expresses the fullness of the Divine Feminine — knowledge, prosperity and power. The Makam Thozhal is among the most celebrated Devi darshans in the state.

The Chottanikkara temple, near Kochi, is dedicated to Bhagavathy (Rajarajeswari) worshipped in three aspects across the day — as Saraswati at dawn, Lakshmi at noon and Durga in the evening. The temple is especially famous for the belief that the goddess, together with the deity Bhadrakali in the lower Keezhkkavu shrine, cures those afflicted by mental illness and negative influences; the ritual of nailing offerings to the paala tree by those who have been healed is a striking feature. The Makam Thozhal, when the goddess appears in her most resplendent form, draws vast crowds. The temple's Namboothiri rituals and evening 'Guruthi' puja are deeply atmospheric.