Spiritual PlaceHindu temple

Vadeshwaram Temple

Hilltop Shiva temple at Aroli near Kannur, nicknamed the Kailasa of North Malabar, with an eight-petalled sanctum

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01 — The story

Vadeshwaram Temple is a Shiva temple at Aroli village in Pappinisseri panchayat, Kannur district, about 150 metres east of the national highway through Kannur. It is one of the 108 ancient Shiva temples of Kerala and stands on top of Keecheri hill, which looks like a mountain and has earned the temple the nickname 'Kailasa of North Malabar'. The Malabar Devaswom Board administers it.

Shiva is worshipped as Vadeshwarathappan, and his disciple Vadaka Bhairavan is also central here, alongside Umamaheswara, Shasta, Dakshinamurthy and Kirathamurthy. The sanctum is built in an eight-petalled, or ashtadala, form, which scholars say is found at no other temple in India.

Unmapia

02 — About

Coming soon

We’re still writing about Vadeshwaram Temple: its history, what’s there and why it’s worth the trip.