Ettumanoor Mahadevar Temple
Ettumanoor, Kottayam district (12 km north of Kottayam on the MC Road) · Lord Shiva (Ettumanoorappan), with an eight-armed fierce (Aghora) utsava form
West-facing Shiva temple famous for its 16th-century Pradosha Nritham mural and the midnight darshan of the seven-and-a-half golden elephants.
Ettumanoor is one of the major Shiva temples of Travancore, on the MC Road 12 km north of Kottayam. The present structure, with its fortified enclosure and gopuram, dates from a rebuilding in 1542 CE. The gopuram walls carry celebrated Kerala murals, including the Pradosha Nritham (Shiva's dance), restored in a conservation project completed in February 2026. The temple's treasures include the Ezhara Ponnana, seven and a half gold-plated elephant figures shown once a year at midnight during the Kumbham festival. Shiva faces west. Entry is for Hindus only.
Timings
- Morning: approx. 4:00 AM – 12:00 noon
- Evening: approx. 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM (some sources give 8:30 PM)
- Note: Not published by the TDB in a form we could verify; timings from secondary listings. Hours change during the Kumbham festival and Shivaratri.
Darshan types and costs
- General darshan – Free
Sevas and costs
- Thulabharam – Fee plus the cost of the material – check at counter (During darshan hours)
- Oil for the Valiya Vilakku – Check at counter (During darshan hours)
- Online vazhipadu (TDB) – As shown on onlinetdb.com (On the chosen date)
How to book darshan
Darshan is free and unbooked. In-person vazhipadu are sold at the temple counters. The Travancore Devaswom Board's portal onlinetdb.com lists Ettumanoor with online pooja booking.
Dress code
Kerala temple dress code. Men wear a mundu and remove shirts and vests before entering the inner temple (the Temple Entry rules bar coats, shirts and vests in the nalambalam, except for women). Women wear a saree, set-mundu, churidar with dupatta or a long skirt and blouse.
Best time to visit
The ten-day Kumbham festival (February–March) for the Ezhara Ponnana; in 2026 it ran 18–27 February with the Ezhara Ponnana on the night of 25 February. Maha Shivaratri (6 March 2027). Otherwise any morning, October–March.
How to reach
- air: Cochin International Airport, about 75 km.
- rail: Ettumanoor station (about 2 km); Kottayam (about 12 km) has more trains.
- road: On the MC Road (SH 1), 12 km north of Kottayam and about 54 km from Ernakulam; frequent KSRTC and private buses.
Festivals
- Thiruvutsavam and Ezhara Ponnana – Kumbham (Feb–Mar), 10 days ending with Arattu on Thiruvathira; 2026: 18–27 Feb
- Maha Shivaratri – 6 March 2027
- Thiruvathira – Dhanu (Dec–Jan)