KOCHI: Deep within the serene woods of Kunnathunad in Ernakulam district lies the ancient Kallil Bhagavathy cave temple, which is considered to be a relic of Jain heritage in the region. A protected monument under the State Archaeology Department, this architectural wonder is a unique blend of history, mystery, and mythology.
Sprawling over 28 acres in the quaint village of Methala – in the middle of a forest – the shrine is believed to date back to the third century BC. And, according to legend, it once used to be ‘one among prime Jain temples in Kerala’. “The presence of deities like Tirthankaras Parshvanatha, Vardhanam Mahavira, and Padmavati Devi indicates its Jain influence,” says temple manager Anil Kumar. “Scholars believe that Jain monks may have performed their penance in this sacred place.”
Goddess Durga, Lord Shiva, and Lord Vishu are the principal deities of the temple, explains Abhiram P N, the temple priest. “Then there is the Srichakra, and Lord Brahma carved on the stone roof of the temple. The temple houses north-facing idols of Vishnu and combines the worship of Shiva, Durga, and Vishnu in the same shrine, which is quite uncommon.”
The mystical allure of the temple lies in the extraordinary sight of a monolithic boulder – 75ft in length, 45ft in width, and 25ft in height – appearing to be floating in air, defying the laws of gravity. “There are no visible supports connecting it to the ground,” says E M Shankaran Nair, the temple committee secretary. “The flight of 120 steps leads to the cave temple. It looks as if the huge boulder is mysteriously suspended in the air.”
According to legend, long ago, some forest-dwellers stumbled upon a resplendent girl gracefully playing with enormous stones. Intrigued, they approached her. She, however, vanished into a cave that was formed with the stones she had been playing with. “That’s the story of Kallil Bhagavathy,” says Shankaran. “One rock that she threw up froze in the air. And the one that descended became the sacred seat of the Goddess.”
There is a similar tale behind the ‘elephant rock’ here as well. Every year, the festival begins on the Karthika day of the Malayalam month Vrischikam. Unlike other temples, here a female elephant is used for the procession of the deity. “It is believed that initially a female elephant had been used for the procession. Later, when a tusker was brought in, the Goddess was displeased and turned it into a rock,” says Abhiram.
The offerings for the Goddess, too, are unique and amusing, adds Shankaran. “One is the ‘chool nercha’ (broom offering). The broom should be made with bare hands, without any contact with metal (like a knife). Some women do this for hair growth,” he says. “The other is ‘kallu nercha’ (stone offering); stones from under-construction houses are offered for quick completion of the buildings.”
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