Padayanivettom Devi Temple, Vallikunnam

Padayanivettom Devi Temple is at Vallikunnam in the Mavelikkara taluk of Alappuzha district, Kerala, some 10 km south of Mavelikkara and 9 km east of Ochira on the national highway. It has served worshippers for centuries.

Its origin story goes back to a time when rural people worshipped Kalari Deva through rituals such as Padayani, Thottam pattu and Kalamezhuthu pattu. During one Padayani, a group saw two heavenly women in the torchlight. The sighting became the talk of the area, and a Devaprashna was held to explain it. This showed that Sree Durga Devi and Sree Bhadra Devi were present in the locality and that the two women were these goddesses. Temples were built for both, and since the vision had appeared in the light of the Padayani, the place became known as Padayanivettom.