The Famous Pilgrimage Centers in Kerala You Must Visit At Least Once

Kerala is not just a piece of paradise, it is also culturally rich, a place where different religions exist side-by-side, in complete harmony. It is known for its places of worship, some of these belong to ancient times and still revered.
With legends associated with them, these places have become pilgrimage centers in their own right. The devout flock to the holy shrines from all over the world. Include them in your itinerary, whenever you visit Kerala. You can explore these places if you rent a car in Kerala without a driver from authorized car rental companies. This post is all about the famous pilgrimage centers in Kerala.

1. Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa Temple
Nestled in the picturesque ranges of the Western Ghats the Sabarimala temple is dedicated to the Hindu God, Lord Ayyappa. It is one of the most significant pilgrimage centres in Kerala, with devotees flocking to it, from all over the world.
People from all religions are allowed inside, but women aged between 10 and 50 are desisted from entering it. In a recent ruling the Supreme Court of India, allowed women of all ages to enter the temple, but the faithful, still follow age-old traditions. Sabarimala Ayyappa Swamy Temple is one of the most famous pilgrimage centers in Kerala.
The shrine is located at an elevation of 914 MAMSL, in a picturesque surrounding. Devotees have to trek a distance of approximately 4 km, from Pamba, to reach the temple. The temple stays open during Mandalakalam, from November to mid-January, and remains shut for the remaining part of the year.

2. Guruvayoor
When we are talking about famous pilgrimage centers in Kerala, Guruvayoor Temple is a must visit place in God’s Own Country. Also known as the Bhuloka Vaikunta, Guruvayoor temple is a much-revered Krishna temple, visited by thousands of pilgrims each year. Devout Hindus refer to it as the Dwarka of the South, and it is considered as one of the most sacred shrines, in Kerala.

3. Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple
The Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple, in Thiruvananthapuram, is one of the finest examples of the Dravidian architecture, in the country. Dating back to the 8^th century, the temple devoted to the Hindu God, Vishnu is believed to be the richest temple in the whole of India.
The temple’s architecture is splendid; the gopuram has exquisite detailing and towers at a height of 100feet and beautiful murals adorn the inner walls. The main deity in the inner sanctum is plated in gold and venerated by visitors to the temple.
Strict dress code is in place and visitors must be aware that men are allowed inside only if they are dressed in a dhoti, without anything covering their torso. Women can be dressed in a sari or a half-sari. The attire can be rented just outside the temple.

4. Thirunelli Temple
The Thirunelli Temple is an ancient temple that finds mention in the Puranas, the books on Hindu mythology. According to legend, the temple in Wayanad was built by Brahma, the Hindu God.
The temple draws large crowds because of its historical relevance and its scenic setting. It is located in the Western Ghats, at an elevation of about 900 feet. A perineal stream said to have medicinal properties flows close to the famed temple. The stream is deemed holy, and devotees take a dip in it to wash away their sins.

5. St.Mary’s Forane Church
Christianity came to Kerala with St. Thomas, one of the twelve apostles of Christ. The state has a huge Christian population and many famous Churches, some of which are quite old. St. Mary’s Forane Church in Kottayam is one such ancient Church.
The Church was constructed in 105 AD and legend has it that the first apparition of the Blessed Virgin, anywhere in the world, was at this spot. A spring with miraculous powers flows nearby.
It is a Syro-Malabar Catholic Church with Roman-Portuguese architecture and beautiful stained-glass windows and murals and paintings on the wall. A huge bell with inscriptions hangs in the bell tower.

6. Kuravilangad Mahadeva Temple, Ettumanoor
The Kuravilangad Mahadeva Temple is a four-hundred-year-old, Shiva Temple, located in the Kottayam district. The temple’s unique architecture includes a copper roof and beautiful wooden sculptures, especially those of two bulls.
An annual temple festival, lasting 10 days, is conducted with great festivities. It is a spectacular event, with thousands of devotees converging at the temple. Huge processions, on the eight and tenth day of the festival, are the highlight. The temple precincts are lit with oil lamps.

Also Read: Why Take a Self Drive Car Instead of a Taxi

7. St. Andrew’s Forane Church
The Arthunkal St. Andrew’s Basilica and St. Sebastian’s International Shrine, is located in Alappuzha district of Kerala. The 16^th century Church was built by the Portuguese missionaries and is the largest shrine there is of St. Sebastian, in the world. On 09^th July 2010, the Church was consecrated to the status of Basilica and is the third Roman Catholic Basilica in Kerala. Interestingly, it was the first Roman Catholic Diocese in Alleppey.

8. Arthunkal Janardhana Swamy Temple, Varkala
Varkala has a beautiful beach that draws a lot of tourists. It is also popular as a pilgrimage destination because of the 2000-year-old Arthunkal Janardhana Swamy Temple.
The temple is said to be mentioned in the Vedas, which makes it a significant shrine. A temple festival dedicated to the presiding deity is held in the months of March-April. A dip in the adjacent Papanasam Beach is said to wash away sins and purify the soul.

9. Maramon Convention, Kozhenchery
The Maramon Convention is held in Maramon town that lies on the banks of the calm Pampa River. The Maramon Convention sees a huge congregation of Mar Thoma Syrian Christians congregating at one place. In fact, it is the largest congregation of this religious sect in the whole of Asia. The annual convention is held in the month of February.

10. Ambalappuzha Sree Krishna Temple
The Ambalappuzha Sree Krishna Temple is dedicated to Krishna in the form of Parthasarathy, popularly referred to as Unnikannan. The temple enshrines a beautiful idol of Krishna, with a conch shell in one hand and a whip in the other.
A 10-day long annual temple festival is held annually between March-April and devotees from all over throng the temple.

11. St. Mary’s Orthodox Church, Niranam
Believed to be founded by St. Thomas, the apostle, the Church is also one of the oldest in India. However, the Church has been rebuilt many times and a plaque in the present Church shows that it was constructed in 1259.
This is a revered place of worship since St. Thomas brought Christianity to India and converted many families to the religion.

12. Beemapalli Mosque, Thiruvananthapuram
The Beemapalli Mosque is a famous pilgrimage centre of devout Muslims. Dedicated to Beema Umma, a Muslim woman who it is said had miraculous powers and believed to belong to the Prophet’s family. An annual Urus is held at the mosque where devotees come in large numbers to offer prayers and seek blessings. They make special offerings of flowers, silk, and oil at the dargah.

13. Chettikulangara Bhagavathy Temple, Mavelikara
The temple is a major tourist attraction and visited because the presiding deity is known to have unique powers. One of the major attractions in the temple is a giant size oil lamp carved out of granite stone. The huge lamp can light up over 1000 wicks – that’s how massive it is. The temple’s annual festival is conducted in the months of February and March, with much fanfare.

14. Jama-at Mosque, Malappuram
The mosque at Malappuram is over 600 years old and known as the Mecca of the East. The unique feature of this mosque is that a Hindu carpenter had designed it. The carpenter passed away while the mosque was being constructed and as a mark of respect, was buried within the precincts of the mosque. The mosque holds a 4 days annual festival in April. The entry of women is prohibited based on Islamic laws.

15. Sri Muthappan Temple, Parassinikadavu
Shiva is the main deity of Sri Muthappan Temple. The temple is known for its rituals and practices, particularly Theyyam, which is performed as a daily ritual. Men wearing masks and colourful costumes perform the Theyyam and enthral the audience.

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