Thirunelli Temple

Getting there

• By road

  The temple is 32 km north of Mananthavady and about 130 km northeast of Kozhikode. The road ends at a square, with the massive Panchateertham Rest House on the left and steps up to the temple on the right.

Rules to know

• Trekking to Pakshipathalam needs special permission from the Forest Department in North Wayanad, Mananthavady.

Why devotees come here

Thirunelli Temple is a Mahavishnu temple on the side of Brahmagiri hill, in north Wayanad, near the Karnataka border. It stands at about 900 metres and is one of the 108 Abhimana Kshethrams of the Vaishnava tradition.

Legend says Brahma, while travelling, noticed an idol of Vishnu set in an amla tree. Popular belief holds that he saw the image under a nelli, or gooseberry, tree, and later installed and consecrated it. The Matsya, Skanda, Narasimha and Padma Puranas say Brahma built the Vishnu temple in the Sahya valley, and the temple is also known as Sahyamala Kshetram.

Outlook Traveller dates the temple to the late eighth and early ninth centuries. Kerala Tourism says the Chera king Kulasekharan is popularly considered its builder. The temple follows the traditional Kerala style, with an inner sanctum under a tiled roof and a huge open courtyard. The east-facing shrine stands on 30 granite columns, and a stone aqueduct brings water from the forests.

Like Gaya in Bihar, Thirunelli is a seat for rites that help the dead. Devotees believe a dip in the Papanasini, the mountain spring from Brahmagiri, washes away worldly sins. The temple sits in a valley surrounded by mountains and forests. Kerala Tourism lists it among the major pilgrim destinations across South India.

Festivals

• 14 and 15 AprilVishu

  The Malayali New Year. Over 10,000 people come during these two days.

Tips for your visit

• Most devotees bathe in the Papanasini stream in the morning and leave by afternoon.
• Pakshipathalam, a rock cave about 7 km away at the northern end of Brahmagiri Hills, is reached only by a trek of at least three hours through dense jungle.
• The temple closes for a long break in the middle of the day, so plan your darshan for the morning or the evening.

Questions people ask