Kalpathy Vishwanatha Swamy Temple, popularly known as Kasi Viswanathaswamy Temple or locally as Kundukovil(Kundambalam), is a famous Hindu temple in the Kalpathy village of Palakkad in Kerala, India. The Kalpathy temple morning timings are 05:30 am to 10:00 am and from 05:00 pm to 08:00 pm.
It is the site of the annual Kalpathi Ratholsavam, one of Kerala’s most famous temple festivals. It is a 15th Century temple maintained by members of the V K Edam. The most recent renovation work happened in 2006, which changed the whole structure of the Temple.
History of Kalpathy Vishwanatha Swamy Temple:
Contents
- 1 History of Kalpathy Vishwanatha Swamy Temple:
- 1.0.1 Kalpathy Vishwanatha Swamy Temple Timings:
- 1.0.2 Best time to visit Kalpathy Vishwanatha Swamy Temple:
- 1.0.3 Kalpathy Vishwanatha Swamy Temple Sevas Timings:
- 1.0.4 Kalpathy Viswanatha Swamy Temple Sevas Ticket Costs:
- 1.0.5 Chariot Festival at Kalpathy Viswanatha Swamy Temple:
- 1.0.6 Car Festival in Kalpathy Vishwanatha Swamy Temple:
- 1.0.7 Special Rituals at Kalpathy Vishwanatha Swamy Temple:
- 1.0.8 Dress Code at Kalpathy Vishwanatha Swamy Temple:
- 1.0.9 Tourist places nearby Kalpathy Vishwanatha Swamy Temple:
- 1.0.10 Hotels nearby Kalpathy Vishwanatha Swamy Temple:
- 1.0.11 Kalpathy Vishwanatha Swamy Temple Address & Contact Numbers:
- 1.0.12 How to reach Kalpathy Vishwanatha Swamy Temple:
- 1.0.13 FAQs:
- 1.1 What is Kalpathy Temple famous for?
- 1.2 What is the name of Kalpathy Temple?
- 1.3 Who built Kalpathy Viswanatha Temple?
- 1.4 Which railway station is near Kalpathy Temple?
Lakshmi Ammal, a Brahmin wife of Venkitanarayanaiyer of Kollengode, brought a bana-linga idol of Lord Shiva from Varanasi. The Brahmin family gave all their wealth to Ittikombi Achchan, the King of Palakkad, and requested to build a temple for Viswanatha Swamy.
The King also donated land for the upkeep and maintenance of the Temple. The land set apart for this Temple came to be made inam or revenue-free by the King. It was allowed to be continued as revenue free by the subsequent rulers, Tipu Sultan and later by the British Government.
Kalpathy Vishwanatha Swamy Temple Timings:
The Kalpathy temple morning timings are 05:30 am to 10:00 am and from 05:00 pm to 08:00 pm.
| Days | Morning Timings | Evening Timings |
| Monday | 05:30 am to 10:00 am | 5 pm to 8 pm |
| Tuesday | 05:30 am to 10:00 am | 5 pm to 8 pm |
| Wednesday | 05:30 am to 10:00 am | 5 pm to 8 pm |
| Thursday | 05:30 am to 10:00 am | 5 pm to 8 pm |
| Friday | 05:30 am to 10:00 am | 5 pm to 8 pm |
| Saturday | 05:30 am to 10:00 am | 5 pm to 8 pm |
| Sunday | 05:30 am to 10:00 am | 5 pm to 8 pm |
Best time to visit Kalpathy Vishwanatha Swamy Temple:
The perfect time for visiting Temple is during festivals. Main festivals are dominated by three magnificent chariots adorned with flowers and flags, each sanctified by the presence of the Lord.
Kalpathy Vishwanatha Swamy Temple Sevas Timings:
Sevas had conducted four times a day
| Sevas | Seva Timing |
| Usha Puja | 5:45 am |
| Uchikala Seva | 9:45 am |
| Deeparadhana | 5:45 pm |
| Ardhajama Pooja | 7:45 pm |
Kalpathy Viswanatha Swamy Temple Sevas Ticket Costs:
Some sevas costs are here
| Seva Name | Ticket Cost |
| Oru Divasa Pooja | Rs. 9000 |
| Ekadasa Rudrabishekam | Rs. 7000 |
| Viseshal Navagraha Pooja | Rs. 4500 |
| Ekagraha Santhi | Rs. 2000 |
| Maha Mrithwinjaya Homam | Rs. 7500 |
| Pradosham | Rs. 450 |
| Udayasthamana pooja | Rs. 1000 |
| Uma Maheswara Puja | Rs. 50 |
| Bhrahmarakshas Pooja | Rs. 50 |
| Panchamritham | Rs. 60 |
| Ganapathy Homam | Rs. 80 |
| Mrithwinjaya Homam | Rs. 60 |
| Ayuss Homam | Rs. 60 |
| Neyvilakku | Rs. 10 |
| Ashtothararchana | Rs. 10 |
| Swayamvararchana | Rs. 10 |
| Kunkumarchana | Rs. 10 |
| Sahasranama Kunkumarchana | Rs. 150 |
| Siva Sahasranamarchana | Rs. 50 |
| Pradosha radha Prayanam | Rs. 2000 |
| Mrithwinjayarchana | Rs. 20 |
| Dambathi Archana | Rs. 50 |
| Rudrabhishekam | Rs. 400 |
| Palabishekam | Rs. 40 |
| Manjal Abhishekam | Rs. 50 |
| Dhara | Rs. 50 |
| Jala Dhara | Rs. 10 |
| Ney Payasam | Rs. 100 |
| Palppayasam | Rs. 80 |
| Sabarimala Malayidal | Rs. 10 |
| Kettunira | Rs. 10 |
| Vazhipadu sadhanangal Charthal | Rs. 10 |
| Vivaham | Rs. 250 |
| Choroon | Rs. 50 |
| Chuttuvilakku | Rs. 1100 |
| Naga Pooja | Rs. 100 |
| Pithrudharppanam | Rs. 30 |
| Thulabharam | Rs. 300 |
Chariot Festival at Kalpathy Viswanatha Swamy Temple:
One of the most popular festivals of the Temple is Kalpathy Ratholsavam or the chariot festival. It is a 10-day festival observed during October-November and celebrated like the festival in Mayurathan Swamy Temple in Mayiladuthurai. It is one of the most remarkable festivals in Kerala. During this time, 4+ chariots (rathas) from 4 temples of Kalpathy come together and circumvent the streets of the villages in a grand procession.
Car Festival in Kalpathy Vishwanatha Swamy Temple:
The most important festival of this Temple is the “Car” festival, conducted on the last nine days of the Tamil month of Aippasi. It synchronises with the car festival of the Mayuranathar Temple of Mayavaram. The three adjacent Temples – Manthakkara Maha Ganapathy, Lakshinarayanaswamy Temple of Old Kalpathy and Ganapathy Temple of Chathapuram – also participate in this Car festival. The festival commences with dwjarohanam.
Special Rituals at Kalpathy Vishwanatha Swamy Temple:
The idols of Sri Viswanathaswamy and Sri Visalakshi are attached to the pedestals by Ashtabandhanam, a mixture of eight elements that help fix the icon to the peetham or base. The Viswanathaswamy idol is a Bana Lingam. The Bana lingam extends four carpenter’s angul (inch) higher than the pedestal. The circumference at the level of the pedestal may be about eight angul(inches). The Vishalakshi idol stands twenty-four inches above the pedestal up to the top of the crown.
Dress Code at Kalpathy Vishwanatha Swamy Temple:
- Kerala traditional dress had advised men not to wear shirts or t-shirts inside the Temple.
- The dress code for men is Dhoti or Pyjamas with upper cloth.
- For Women, the favour dress code is a saree or half saree with a blouse or chudidhar with pyjama and upper material.
- Shorts, mini skirts, middies, sleeveless tops, low-waist jeans and short-length T-shirts are prohibited.
Tourist places nearby Kalpathy Vishwanatha Swamy Temple:
Palakkad Fort:
It is Famously called the Tipu Fort. Palakkad Fort is located in the centre of Palakkad and is considered one of Kerala’s most well-preserved tourist sites. Tucked away in the foothills of the majestic Sahayadri mountain range, the fort is a classical beauty situated among dense green forests and serpentine, cascading rivers cutting among the woods.
Seethargundu Viewpoint:
The Viewpoint is a beautiful point in the region. It is located on a cliff and offers a stunning view of the surroundings making it a perfect attraction for nature lovers and photographers. The dense forests around the point are home to monkeys and other wild animals, which one can spot, if lucky.
Silent Valley National Park:
In the Northeast corner of Palakkad, Silent Valley has titled a National Park only in 1984. It has called ‘Sairandhrivanam’ as it was here that Sairandhiri had believed in having hidden along with her five husbands, the Pandavas, while getting away from their cruel cousins, the Kauravas.
Malampuzha Dam:
The Dam had situated near Palakkad in South India. The Western Ghats surround it. Malampuzha Dam combines a masonry dam with a length of 1,849 meters and an earthen dam with a height of 220 meters. The Dam is 355 ft high and crosses the Malampuzha River, a tributary of Bharathappuzha, Kerala’s second-largest river.
Rajarajeswara Temple:
The Temple is a famous Hindu Temple at Taliparamba in the Kannur of Kerala, India. This famous Temple had dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is also prominent amongst the numerous Shiva temples in South India. This Temple also has the tallest Shikhara amongst the temples of its time, and the Temple has a top of about 90 tonnes.
Bekal Beach:
It is a little town in the Kasargod of Kerala, located west of the Malabar coastline. It is famous for its backwaters, beaches, forts and some tourist destinations. Bekal Beach is home to the largest fortress in Kerala. It’s one of the primary landmarks of the Kasargod district.
Hotels nearby Kalpathy Vishwanatha Swamy Temple:
- Hotel Indraprastha
- Kapilavasthu Hotel
- Dhoni Castle
- Nalanda Inn
- Hotel Ammbadi
- Hilux Courtyard Hotel
- Hotel Tripenta
- Royal Inn
- Hotel Gazala
Kalpathy Vishwanatha Swamy Temple Address & Contact Numbers:
- Sri Vishwanatha Swamy Temple, Kalpathy, Palakkadu, Kerala.
- Contact Numbers: +91 94478 39279, 0491 257 7955
How to reach Kalpathy Vishwanatha Swamy Temple:
By Road:
Palakkad bus stand is the nearest bus stand.
Rail:
The nearest railway station is Palakkad Junction railway station.
By Air:
The closest International Airport is Coimbatore International Airport, roughly one hour from Palakkad.
FAQs:
What is Kalpathy Temple famous for?
Sree Viswanatha Swamy Temple at Kalpathy is one of the oldest Siva temples in Malabar and had believed to be over 700 years old. The annual Ratholsavam, or chariot festival at Sree Viswanatha Swamy Temple, is one of the most spectacular festivals in Kerala. It had based on Vedic Tamil Brahmin culture.
What is the name of Kalpathy Temple?
Sri Visalakshi Sametha Sri Viswanatha Swamy temple, popularly known as Kasi Viswanathaswamy Temple or locally as kundukovil, is a famous Hindu temple in the Kalpathy village of Palakkad in Kerala, India. It is the site of the annual Kalpathi Ratholsavam, one of Kerala’s most famous temple festivals.
Who built Kalpathy Viswanatha Temple?
Kalpathy Viswanatha swamy Temple is the oldest Siva temple in Malabar. It was built around 1425 AD by Kombi Achan, the then Raja of Palakkad. Legend has it that a Brahmin widow named Lakshmiammal went to Banaras, brought Lingam, and installed it in the present site on the Southern bank of river Neela Bhagirathi.
Which railway station is near Kalpathy Temple?
Kalpathy has located about 3 km from the centre of the city. City service buses are there to connect Kalpathy with other parts. The nearest central railway station is Palakkad Junction railway station.