Payyanur Sree Subramania Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Kannur airport is about 57 km away, and Mangalore is about 115 km away.

• By train

  Payyanur railway station lies on the Shoranur-Mangalore section of Southern Railway.

• By road

  Several private and KSRTC buses serve Payyanur, from inside and outside Kannur district. The town lies on NH 66.

Why devotees come here

Payyanur Sree Subramania Temple stands in Payyanur, a municipal town in Kannur district on Kerala's coastal plains. It is one of the most famous Subramanya temples in the state. It is famous for the pavitra mothiram, a sacred ring made to order and worn after it is sanctified here.

Mythology pictures the making of the pavitra mothiram as Subramanya's own wish. In earlier days the ring was made from darbha, a kind of holy grass, and not from gold. Legend says that during the temple's reconstruction the priest advised a goldsmith to make it in gold instead. The ring is still made only to order, in gold or in darbha grass. Kerala Tourism calls it a uniquely crafted ring. It is sanctified at the temple before it is worn.

The temple is counted among the most famous Subramanya temples in Kerala. Its two-storeyed sanctum is shaped like the back of an elephant, which is called gajaprishtam. The temple also has a 6-foot idol of the main deity, Subramanya. Another feature is its 12-foot compound wall, built in a unique style.

Tips for your visit

• The temple is one among the district's most revered and sacred sites.
• The temple sees a regular flow of devotees through the year.

Questions people ask