Karikkakom Chamundi Devi Temple, commonly known as Karikkakom Devi Temple, stays upfront in the heart of Trivandrum city, elevating the religious and historic significance of Karikkakom. The temple has an ancient history of about 600 years, enclosed within dense greenery of tall trees and coconut palms from all sides. Karikkakom Devi or Chamundi Devi, the local deity is Goddess Durga herself. The unique peculiarity of this temple is that they tend to worship all three forms of Goddess Chamundi – Maha Chamundi, Raktha Chamundi, and Bala Chamundi.
It is said that in older times, during the monarchy, the temple was equal to the modern courtroom. The accused were brought before the Goddess Raktha Chamundi, and asked to put 21 coins in the nada and say the truth. It was believed that the Goddess would bless the honest man and punish the liar, thus no one dared to lie before their deity. Pongala festival is among the famous festivals celebrated in this temple, which is the favorite of the locals and tourists. Many women arrive to celebrate the seven-day-long festival, and on the last day, the idol of the deity is carried out on a golden chariot.
Unlike the other temples in Trivandrum, this one is open to all, which makes it one of the popular shrines in Kerala. There is a small pond outside the temple, around which there are wide varieties of trees, creepers and medicinal plants. Visit Karikkakom Chamundi Devi Temple to perceive the glance of Chamundi Devi idol built of five metals- copper, iron, gold, silver, and lead.
Contact Details
Karikkakom Chamundi Devi Temple
Karikkakom, Thiruvananthapuram,
Kerala 695007
