Cheruvally Devi Temple
This temple located at SH 8 by the roadside between Ponkunnam & Manimala. The presiding deity here is Goddess Bhadrakali, a fiercer form of Devi Aadishakthi. The temple is estimated to be at least a thousand-year-old. The temple was once under the possession of mountain tribes. It later came under the control of the landlords.
Legend says that Cheruvally Devi appeared here upon the request of Adi Shankaracharya. However, she was left here ignored for centuries until one day a woman from the lower caste found a stone bleeding upon sharpening her sickle. A temple was then constructed here installing the wooden idol which is about four feet high.
The temple is famous for a unique prathishta known as Judgiammavan (Judge Uncle). Story has it that Govinda Pillai was a judge in Sadar court. He was also a Sanskrit scholar who was proficient in ‘Neethisastra’. The Judge happened to give capital punishment to a relative due to an error in evidence which was presented to him. Being a just person, he demanded King to punish him. The King couldn’t bring himself to punish the judge for a mistake he unknowingly made. He entrusted the task to the judge himself. Judge Govindan Pillai ordered his own execution. Later his Soul was given reverence here in his family Temple at Cheruvally. The Judge Ammavan’s Nada (Small Temple) opens in the evening only after the Athazha Pooja (8.00PM). Judge Ammavan’s temple is open for only about 30 to 45 minutes. The Judge Ammavan nada starts at 8.30PM closes at 9.00PM
Location
Cheruvally
Main Deity
Goddess Bhadrakali
Other Deities
Yakshi, Kodumkali, Lord Ayyappa, Rakshasu, Veerabhadra, Lord Muruga, Durga Devi, Judge Ammavan, Karinagam, Nagaragavu, Nagayakshi, Shivaparvathy & Pattambalam
Festivals
Thiruvutsavam in the Malayalam month of Meenam (March-April), Navarathri, Durgashtami.
Main Offerings
Rakta Pushpanjali, Ada Nivedyam, Vellam Kudi Vazhipadu,
How To Reach
By Air: Cochin International Airport is 97.4KM away from the temple.
By Rail: Kottayam Railway station is 35KM from the temple.
By Road: Ponkunnam KSRTC is 7.2KM from the temple.