The Chettikulangara Devi Temple, also known as Chettikulangara Bhagavathy Temple, is one of the most renowned Hindu temples in Kerala, India. The main deity of the temple is Sree Bhadrakali, an incarnation of the supreme mother goddess Shakti Devi, born from the third eye of Lord Shiva to destroy the demon king Daruka.
The temple is located at Chettikulangara in Mavelikkara taluk of Alappuzha district, Kerala. It is situated about 4 kilometers west of Mavelikkara town and 7 kilometers north of Kayamkulam city on SH6 (Kayamkulam-Thiruvalla Highway).
The temple is believed to be over 1200 years old and is spread over 13 "Karas" or territories. The temple is at the center of the four oldest Karas namely Erezha South, Erezha North, Kaitha South and Kaitha North. The rest of the Karas surround the temple.
Here are some of the interesting aspects of the Chettikulangara Devi Temple:
Deities: The main deity of the temple is Sree Bhadrakali. Interestingly, the goddess is worshipped in three forms here - Saraswathi Devi in the morning, Lakshmi Devi in the afternoon and Bhadrakali Devi in the evening. There are also various sub-deities in shrines located adjacent to the temple.
Festivals: The most prominent festival celebrated here is the Chettikulangara Bharani, dedicated to Goddess Bhagavathy during the months of February-March (depending on the Malayalam calendar). A key part of the festival is the Kettukazhcha, where giant, elaborately decorated structures of temple cars (known as Kuthira), chariots (known as Theru), and icons of Lord Hanuman, Bhima, and Panchali (popular characters from the Indian epics) are paraded to the temple through the city roads. Another interesting ritual performed here is the Kuthiyottam, a unique folk dance performed by young boys to appease the deity.
Architecture: The inner side of the walls of the main temple area is decorated with beautiful mural paintings. There are two deities in the sanctum sanctorum - a smaller deity in front and a larger deity behind which can only be seen by bending down.