Tirtha Atlas

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

1126 sites15 countries4 traditions30 centuries
High medieval · Hindu · India

Vaikom Mahadeva Temple

Vaikom, Kerala · 9.7499°, 76.3960°

Shiva, worshipped as VaikathappanUndeterminedKerala
Sacred since
1000 CE
first attestation / structure
Standing structure
dating unrecorded
Undetermined

History & significance

A major Shiva temple of central Kerala whose lingam is venerated as Vaikathappan, set in a large walled compound with an unusual oval sanctum that reads as circular from outside.

Sthala katha — the legend

The demon Khara received three lingams from Shiva at Chidambaram, and on his southward journey one of them would not be moved again, fixing the temple's site, where the sage Vyaghrapada later became its custodian.

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Related sites

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Thiruvelliyangudi · India
dating unrecorded
Sthalasayana Perumal Temple, Tirusirupuliyur
Thirusirupuliyur · India
dating unrecorded
Thirukkavalampadi
Thirunangur · India
dating unrecorded
Thiruarimeya Vinnagaram
Thirunangur · India
dating unrecorded
Thiruvanpurushothamam
Thirunangur · India
dating unrecorded
Perarulaalan Perumal Temple (Thirusemponsei Koil)
Thirunangur · India
dating unrecorded

Sources

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