Tirtha Atlas

The sacred geography of the Indic world — every site mapped, dated, storied, and cited.

2271 sites15 countries4 traditions30 centuries
High medieval · Hindu · India

Manapullikavu Temple

Palakkad, Kerala · 10.7581°, 76.6650°

Manappully Bhagavathy (Bhadrakali)Undetermined
Sacred since
1000 CE
first attestation / structure
Standing structure
dating unrecorded
Undetermined

History & significance

A Bhadrakali shrine at Palakkad, once the property of the Brahmin family of Mattappilly Bhadrakali Mana, whose four-armed black image holds soolam, kapalam, gadkam and khedam. Its Manapulli Vela, held between late February and early March with elephants, panchavadyam and fireworks, is among the best known velas of the district.

Sthala katha — the legend

An asura named Neelan is said to have tormented the country until the people appealed to Parasurama, and Shiva took female form as Bhadrakali and sent her to Akamalavaram to kill him; thereafter she settled here as Manappulli Bhagavathy.

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Sources

coordinates: wikipedia-2026-08-27 · sources retrieved 2026-08-26 · dynasty page: Undetermined