Edava Palakkavu Bhagavathi Temple

The Edava Palakkavu Bhagavathi Temple is an old temple at Edava in Thiruvananthapuram district, 5.7 km north of Varkala. Its presiding deity is Bhadrakali, seen here as a form of Palakkavilamma. Sub-shrines, recently rearranged after an astrological consultation, honour Annapoorna, Ganesh, the Navagrahas, Adithyan, Hanuman, Yogeswaran and the serpent gods.

The main festival, the Karthika Thirunal Mahothsavam, falls in the month of Kumbham and lasts ten days, ending with grand processions. The whole village joins in regardless of religion, and the streets are decorated with tender coconut fronds and plantain stalks. Rituals and performances include kalamezhuthum pattu, thottam pattu, ponkala, the Pallivetta, the Ghosayathra, aarattu, thookapayattu and garudanparappu. A week-long reading of the Bhagavatam is held each year in May or June.