Malabar Devaswom Board
Statutory board · Housefed Complex, Eranhippalam, Kozhikode
The Malabar Devaswom Board covers the temples of the old Malabar district and Kasaragod taluk in north Kerala. Until 2008 these temples were supervised by a government department under the Madras HR&CE Act. A 2008 ordinance, later replaced by an amending Act, created the Board, which first met on 2 October 2008. Unlike Travancore and Cochin, many Malabar temples are still run by hereditary trustees (for example the Zamorin and Chirakkal royal families), with the Board supervising, grading and funding them. The Board grades its temples (Special, A, B, C, D). Its Special-grade shrines include Kottiyoor, Thirunelli, Madayi Kavu, Mammiyoor, Thirunavaya and Kadampuzha.
How it is run
A President and members appointed by the Government of Kerala; the first nine-member board took office on 2 October 2008. A Devaswom Commissioner at Kozhikode heads the administration, with Assistant Commissioners for five divisions (Kasaragod, Thalassery, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Palakkad). Many temples keep their hereditary trustees, such as the Zamorin for Tali and Valayanad.
Tips for pilgrims
- The Board has no central booking portal. Offerings are made at each temple's counter or through its executive officer.
- Mammiyoor sits about a kilometre from Guruvayur but belongs to the MDB, not the Guruvayur Devaswom. Pilgrims customarily visit both.
- Kottiyoor's Akkare Kottiyoor shrine is open only during the annual Vaishakha festival in the monsoon months, so check dates before you go.
Temples it runs
- Alathiyur Hanuman Temple (Perum Thrikkovil) – Alathiyur, Tirur, Malappuram
- Annapoorneshwari Temple, Cherukunnu – Cherukunnu, Kannur
- Chinakkathoor Bhagavathy Temple – Palappuram, Ottapalam, Palakkad
- Kadampuzha Devi Temple – Kadampuzha, Malappuram
- Kottiyoor Temple – Kottiyoor, Kannur
- Lokanarkavu Bhagavathy Temple – Memunda, Vadakara, Kozhikode
- Madayi Kavu (Thiruvarkadu Bhagavathy Temple) – Madayi, Kannur
- Mammiyoor Mahadeva Temple – Guruvayur, Thrissur
- Peralassery Sree Subrahmanya Temple – Peralassery, Kannur
- Rajarajeshwara Temple – Taliparamba, Kannur
- Tali Shiva Temple – Kozhikode city
- Thirumandhamkunnu Bhagavathy Temple – Angadipuram, Malappuram
- Thirunavaya Navamukunda Temple – Thirunavaya, Malappuram
- Thirunelli Maha Vishnu Temple – Thirunelli, Wayanad
- Thiruvangad Sree Ramaswamy Temple – Thiruvangad, Thalassery, Kannur
- Trichambaram Sree Krishna Temple – Taliparamba, Kannur
- Triprangode Siva Temple – Triprangode, Malappuram
- Valayanad Devi Temple – Kommeri, Kozhikode