Kalady Sri Adi Sankara Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Cochin International Airport is about 6 km from Kalady.

• By train

  The nearest railway station is Angamaly.

• By road

  Kalady is well connected by road to major cities and towns in Kerala.

Rules to know

• Remove your footwear before entering the temples.
• Dress modestly as a mark of respect for the religious significance of the site.
• Adi Shankara's shrines are open to pilgrims of any religion and caste.

Why devotees come here

Kalady, a village in Ernakulam district of Kerala, is traditionally held to be the birthplace of Adi Shankara. The temple has two main shrines, one for Shankara and one for Devi Saradamba, the main deity of Sringeri.

Kalady is a village between Angamaly and Perumbavoor, east of the Periyar river. All traditional and hagiographical sources maintain that it was Shankara's birthplace. Legend says a crocodile caught Shankara's leg in the water until his mother allowed him to become a sannyasi, a monk who gives up household life.

The Raja of Travancore acquired the area from Kappilly Mana in 1905 and handed it over to Sringeri Math, which now maintains the Mandap. The centenary of Kalady was celebrated in May 2010. The story of its rediscovery, a hundred years ago, is told in a film by Sringeri Sharada Peetham.

The Adi Sankara Kirti Stamba Mandapa, a structure 45 metres tall, was built by Kanchi Mutt under its pontiff Chandrasekarendra Saraswati. The famous Shankara Stupa has eight sides.

Festivals

• April or MaySankara Jayanti

  Celebrated for five days every year.

• September or OctoberNavaratri

  Nine days of music, the chariot festival and other events.

• Date not listedKanjoor Thirunal

  A very popular festival in this area.

Tips for your visit

• Manickamangalam temple, dedicated to Bhagavathi (Devi Durga), is one kilometre north of Kalady.
• Nayathodu Sankara Narayana Temple, 3 km west of Kalady, is an example of Advaita worship by Shankaracharya.

Questions people ask