Temples in Trichur
Vadakkunnathanan Temple
This temple is in the part, right in the center of the city. It is one of the largest temples in Kerala and has excellent carved woodwork. On the walls there are excellent murals of the Mahabharata and Lord Vishnu reclining on Ananta.
It has three main shrines. One is dedicated to Vadakkunnathan (Lord Siva) and another to Sankara Narayana. South of these two shrines is a shrine dedicated to Lord Rama. Vadakkunnathan (Ten-Kailasanath) is a Maha-linga that is covered with offerings of ghee (clarified butter) hundreds of years old. The linga cannot be seen because the traditional abhisheka (bathing) with cow ghee over centuries has formed a 3m (9ft) mound around the linga, which makes it difficult for the priest to walk around the inner sanctum. The shrine dedicated to Sankara Narayana has beautiful paintings of the Mahabharata. There is also a Deity of Krishna in the temple. There is a Ganesh deity between the two northern altars.
The famous kuttambalam. Or theater hall, is on the left of the entrance. Non-Hindus are not allowed in the temple except for during the Pooram festival, when the restrictions are lifted.
Other places
The Thiruvambadi Temple is a Krishna temple in the middle of town.
There is an important temple dedicated to Lord Rama, the Tiruvilamala Temple, 30 km from Thrissur at Triprayar. It has excellent sculptures and woodcarvings. The Kutalmanikyam Temple dedicated to Bharata, Rama’s brother, is located at Irinjalakuda, which is 21 km from Thrissur. It is the one of the only temple in India dedicated to Bharata.
Kalamandalam, 30 km north, has a Kathakali dance school.
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