Sree Vadakkunnathan Temple, Thrissur
Thekkinkadu Maidan, Round North, Thrissur · Lord Shiva as Vadakkunnathan, with Parvati, Sankaranarayana and Sri Rama
Thrissur's hilltop Shiva temple, where the linga lies hidden under centuries of ghee and the Pooram is held on the maidan outside.
Vadakkunnathan stands on a low hill in the middle of Thrissur, inside a walled compound of about 9 acres with a gopuram on each side. The Shiva linga in the main sanctum is covered by a mound of ghee built up from centuries of daily ghee abhishekam (neyyattam), so the linga itself is never seen. The temple has three main shrines, for Shiva, Sankaranarayana and Sri Rama, a fine koothambalam (temple theatre) and old mural paintings. The open ground around it, Thekkinkadu Maidan, is the stage for Thrissur Pooram every April–May. Entry is for Hindus only and the Kerala temple dress code applies.
Timings
- Morning: 4:00 AM – 11:00 AM (11:30 AM on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays)
- Evening: 5:00 PM – 8:30 PM
- Festivals: Open through the night on Maha Shivaratri; hours change on Pooram and Aanayoottu days.
Darshan types and costs
- General darshan – Free
Sevas and costs
- Neyyattam (ghee abhishekam to Vadakkunnathan) – ₹1,850 (Morning, after opening)
- Pushpanjali – ₹12 (During darshan hours)
- Dhara – ₹65 (Morning)
- Sree Rudra Dhara / Sree Rudra Japam – ₹650 (Rudra Dhara); ₹325 (Rudra Japam) (Morning)
- Ganapathy Homam – ₹110; Ashtadravya Mahaganapathy Homam ₹400 (small) / ₹750 (big) (Early morning)
- Mrithyunjaya Homam / Maha Mrithyunjaya Homam – ₹350 / ₹710 (Morning)
- Appam and Ottayappam – ₹180 (Appam); ₹130 (Ottayappam) (Collect after Ucha Pooja (check at counter))
- Palpayasam / Neypayasam – ₹110 (Palpayasam); ₹120 (Neypayasam); ₹215 (special Neypayasam); ₹1,215 (one kudam/pot of palpayasam) (Collect after Ucha Pooja)
- Umamaheswara Pooja / Swayamvara Archana – ₹140 (Umamaheswara Pooja); ₹40 (Swayamvara Archana, per the temple's rate list) (During darshan hours)
- Ennayattam to Sri Rama – ₹770 (Morning)
- 101 / 51 Kudam Dhara to Rishabha (Nandi) – ₹320 (101 pots); ₹230 (51 pots) (Morning)
- Noorum Paalum (Naga deities) – ₹65 (Morning)
- Choroonu (first rice feeding) – ₹130 (Mornings)
- Vivaham (wedding) – ₹700 (Muhurtham days)
- Niramala and Chuttuvilakku – ₹11,500 (Niramala Chuttuvilakku, full); ₹1,500 (Niramala Nadakkal) (Evening, at Deeparadhana)
- Udayasthamana Pooja – ₹1,16,000 (Full day, on an allotted date)
- Annadanam – ₹23,500; special annadanam ₹32,500 (On a chosen day)
How to book darshan
There is no paid darshan. Vazhipadu can be bought at the temple counters or booked on the temple's own portal, linked from the Cochin Devaswom Board site. The portal lets you choose a date at least about 5 days ahead, pick your birth star and offerings, and pay online.
Wadakkunathan online vazhipadu
Dress code
Kerala temple dress code. Men wear a mundu (dhoti) and remove shirts, vests and banians before entering the inner temple; an upper cloth may be carried. Women wear a saree, set-mundu, churidar/salwar with dupatta or a long skirt and blouse. Avoid shorts, jeans and sleeveless tops.
Best time to visit
October to February for weather. For festivals: Thrissur Pooram (April–May; 26 April in 2026), Aanayoottu (1st of Karkidakam, mid-July) and Maha Shivaratri (6 March 2027). Early mornings are the calmest.
How to reach
- air: Cochin International Airport (Nedumbassery), about 55 km.
- rail: Thrissur railway station, about 1.5 km.
- road: In the centre of Thrissur, inside Swaraj Round; KSRTC and private bus stands are within 1–2 km. Thrissur is on NH 544 (Kochi–Palakkad).
Festivals
- Thrissur Pooram – Medam (April–May); held on 26 April in 2026
- Maha Shivaratri – Kumbham (Feb–Mar); 6 March 2027
- Aanayoottu – 1st of Karkidakam (mid-July)
- Thiruvathira (Aathirotsavam) – Thiruvathira star in Dhanu (Dec–Jan)
- Navaratri – Sep–Oct