Photo 1 / 4Entrance pavilion and forecourt. Photo: Ms Sarah Welch, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Ettumanoor Mahadeva Temple
About the Temple
Ettumanoor Mahadeva Temple is a Travancore Devaswom Board shrine to Shiva, about 12 km north of Kottayam, whose present complex dates to 1542. Its gopuram walls carry celebrated murals, among them the Pradosha Nritham of Shiva dancing, and its February festival is known for the midnight showing of the golden elephants, the Ezhara Ponnana. With Vaikom and Kaduthuruthy it forms the trio that devotees try to visit on one morning.
Why visit
- See the restored gopuram murals, including the Pradosha Nritham.
- Complete the traditional one-morning visit to the three Shiva temples of the Khara legend.
Temple Timings
- Morning
- 4:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Evening
- 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Official source, checked 22 Oct 2026 · Source
Closed between noon and 17:00. Ucha Pooja is reported at 11:00 to 11:30. Timings change in the ten-day Kumbham festival (February to March), when the Ezhara Ponnana darshan is held at midnight on the eighth night.
Before You Go
- Time to allow
30 minutes to 1 hour inside the temple. This is a planning allowance, not a queue time; festival days take longer.
- Dress
Men wear a mundu or dhoti and women a sari or other traditional dress. By Kerala temple custom men are usually asked to remove shirts and vests before entering; confirm at the gate.
Official source, checked 23 Oct 2026 · Source
- Phones
A current rule on phones inside the temple was not confirmed. Ask at the entrance whether phones may be carried or must be left outside.
Not confirmed: check with the temple before you go
- Access
Step counts, ramps and wheelchair routes were not confirmed. Ask the temple office about the easiest way into the inner courtyard.
Not confirmed: check with the temple before you go
Highlights
- Gopuram murals
Murals believed to date from the 16th century, on the inner and outer walls of the gopuram, including Ananthasayanam, Pradosha Nritham and Kaliyamardhanam, were rededicated in February 2026 after a year-long conservation effort.
- Ezhara Ponnana
Seven and a half elephant figures of jackfruit wood covered with about 13 kg of gold, shown to devotees at the Asthana Mandapam at midnight on the festival's eighth day.
- West-facing Shiva
Unlike most temples, the idol here faces west. The present complex dates to 1542 CE.
- Golden flagstaff
A gold-covered flagstaff inside the temple is topped with a bull figure ringed by small bells and metal banyan leaves.
Sources: onmanorama.com, keralatourism.org, keralatourism.org, en.wikipedia.org · checked 22 Oct 2026
How to reach Ettumanoor Mahadeva Temple
- By air: Cochin International Airport (COK) · about 77 km
- By train: Ettumanoor (ETM) · about 2 km
- By road: Ettumanoor is on the MC Road about 12 km from Kottayam and 54 km from Ernakulam. Kottayam station, about 9 km away in a straight line, has more long-distance trains.
Sources: keralatourism.org, en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org · checked 22 Oct 2026
Nearby Places
- Kaduthuruthy Thaliyil Mahadeva TempleThe middle temple of the one-morning trio of Shiva temples.13 km away
- Vaikom Mahadeva TempleThe northern temple of the trio, by Vembanad Lake.20 km away
- Thirunakkara Mahadeva Temple, KottayamA Shiva temple in the centre of Kottayam town.10 km away
Sources: wikidata.org, en.wikipedia.org, wikidata.org · checked 22 Oct 2026
Questions Visitors Ask
Can I take my phone inside Ettumanoor Mahadeva Temple?
A current rule on phones inside the temple was not confirmed. Ask at the entrance whether phones may be carried or must be left outside.
What are the Ettumanoor temple timings?
The Ministry of Tourism lists 04:00 to 12:00 and 17:00 to 20:00. A travel site gives a 20:30 close, so confirm the evening session before you go.
What is the Ezhara Ponnana?
Seven and a half gold-covered elephant figures that are shown to devotees at midnight on the eighth day of the February festival.
Can I visit Ettumanoor, Vaikom and Kaduthuruthy before noon?
Many devotees do, as a local custom held to be auspicious. Start at dawn and finish before the midday Ucha Pooja; it is a belief, not a promise of results.
Is there a dress code at Ettumanoor temple?
Men wear a mundu or dhoti and women a sari or traditional dress. Men are usually asked to enter without a shirt; check at the gate.