Kunnathoor Padi Sree Muthappan Devasthanam
Sree Muthappan (folk deity; described by the Devasthanam as Vishnu incarnate) temple · Kunnathoor Padi, Payyavoor, Kannur, Kerala, India
Kunnathoor Padi (also spelled Kunnathurpadi) is a forested hilltop near Payyavoor in the Taliparamba taluk of Kannur district, Kerala, revered as the aroodam, or sacred abode, of Sree Muthappan, the popular folk deity of north Malabar. It lies on Udumbumala in the Western Ghats at about 3,000 feet above sea level, according to the Devasthanam's festival profile published by Kerala Tourism.
Unlike most Muthappan shrines, Kunnathoor Padi has no permanent temple at its festival ground. Each year a temporary thatched shrine is raised in a forest clearing for a festival lasting about a month, from the Malayalam month of Dhanu to Makaram (mid-December to mid-January). The site is administered by the Sree Kunnathurpadi Muthappan Devasthanam.
Faith & Tradition
Religious Significance of Kunnathoor Padi Sree Muthappan Devasthanam
The Devasthanam compares the place of Kunnathoor Padi in Muthappan worship to that of Sabarimala for Ayyappa, describing it as the deity's own abode. In the ritual songs (thottam) the hill is called a golden land and likened to Kailasa. The Devasthanam's text describes Muthappan as Vishnu incarnate; in worship he appears through two theyyam forms, Thiruvappana and Vellattam.
The Devasthanam and the C.P.R. Environmental Education Centre's Eco Heritage project both quote a saying attributed to Muthappan: that fallen leaves, a spring, a great mountain, a round stone, forest and palm trees are enough for him. Devotees understand this as the reason no temple building stands at the festival site. According to the Devasthanam, axes and knives are not used there, no trees are cut, and only fallen wood is used; it says the Devasthanam held about 3,000 acres of forest before forest land was nationalised and now holds about 60 acres.
Kunnathoor Padi also has a distinctive place in the ritual network of Muthappan shrines. The Devasthanam notes that at other madappuras the deity is ritually invoked from Kunnathoor Padi, while at Kunnathoor Padi itself he is invoked from Puralimala.
Heritage
History of Kunnathoor Padi Sree Muthappan Devasthanam
Wikipedia describes Kunnathoor Padi as the historic centre of Muthappan worship and associates the area with local ruling families based around nearby Puralimala, including the Mannanars. It records that after the last Mannanar ruler died in 1902 the family's lands passed under British control and a local family took over the management of the shrine; several of these statements are marked as needing citations.
According to the legend summarised by the Eco Heritage project, Muthappan revealed himself at this spot, and since there was no one with sufficient austerity to worship him on the summit, he asked that a padi (seat or platform) be set up on its southern side for his worship. The Eco Heritage page adds that, according to belief, earthen objects used in the worship form from the water flowing down from the peak, and notes the spring Thiruvankadavu to the north of the site.
Architecture and sacred features
There is no permanent shrine at the festival ground. According to the Devasthanam, pilgrims first reach a modest office building and the podikkalam, beside which stand small temples of Bhagavathi and Sree Muthappan; the forest begins a few metres beyond, and the path continues to the kalasasthanam and then the festival site. For the festival a temporary sanctum (madappura or sreekovil) is built of natural materials in the clearing, and the sloping hillsides serve as seating for devotees.
Plan Your Visit
Darshan and Visitor Information
The site is a forest setting with seasonal rituals, and devotees are expected to respect its customs, including the ban on cutting trees. Crowds are very large during the Dhanu–Makaram festival; the Devasthanam's profile estimated about 100,000 participants. No pujas are held in the month of Karkidakam, when the deity is traditionally said to be away hunting. Confirm festival dates and visiting arrangements with the Sree Kunnathurpadi Muthappan Devasthanam before travelling.
Timings and arrangements change with seasons and festivals. Confirm current details with Sree Kunnathurpadi Muthappan Devasthanam before travelling. Last reviewed 1 November 2026.
Sacred Calendar
Festivals at Kunnathoor Padi Sree Muthappan Devasthanam
Annual Thiruvappana festival
A month-long festival that opens with purification rites by tantris (including Ganapati homam and Bhagavathi seva). On the first day four theyyams appear: Puthiya Muthappan, Puramkala Muthappan, Naduvazhissan Daivam and Thiruvappana. Unusually, Thiruvappana and Vellattam do not appear together here; after the night's performance Muthappan hears devotees' prayers (arulappadu) before Vellattam appears.
Kalathil Thira
Held at the shrine according to the Devasthanam's profile.
Location
How to Reach Kunnathoor Padi Sree Muthappan Devasthanam
Kunnathoor Padi is near Sreekandapuram, in Payyavoor village of Taliparamba taluk, Kannur district. Access is by road to Payyavoor and then up the hill; confirm current routes and arrangements with the Devasthanam, especially during the festival.
Location: Kunnathoor Padi, Payyavoor, Kannur, Kerala, India
More in Hindu temples in Kerala · Sree Muthappan (folk deity; described by the Devasthanam as Vishnu incarnate) temples · Temples in Taliparamba Taluk · Temples in Kannur District
Questions
Kunnathoor Padi Sree Muthappan Devasthanam: Frequently Asked Questions
What is Kunnathoor Padi?
It is a forested hilltop near Payyavoor in Kannur district, regarded as the aroodam (sacred abode) of Sree Muthappan and the setting of his month-long annual festival.
Is there a temple at Kunnathoor Padi?
There is no permanent temple at the festival ground. A temporary thatched shrine is built in a forest clearing each year; small Bhagavathi and Muthappan shrines stand near the Devasthanam office below.
When is the Kunnathoor Padi festival?
It runs from Dhanu 2 to Makaram 2 in the Malayalam calendar, roughly mid-December to mid-January.
How is the festival at Kunnathoor Padi different from other Muthappan shrines?
Here Thiruvappana and Vellattam do not appear together, as they do at many Muthappan centres, and the rituals are held in a natural forest setting rather than a temple.
Why are trees not cut at Kunnathoor Padi?
According to the Devasthanam, Muthappan is believed to want only a natural setting of leaves, a spring, a mountain, a stone, forest and palm trees, so axes and knives are not used and no trees are felled.
How high is Kunnathoor Padi?
The Devasthanam's profile gives the hilltop on Udumbumala as about 3,000 feet above sea level.
Sources and attribution
- Kerala Tourism (Government of Kerala), 1000 Festivals of Kerala — Sree Kunnathurpadi Muthappan Devasthanam – festival profile
- C.P.R. Environmental Education Centre – Eco Heritage — Kunnathur Padi
- Wikipedia — Kunnathoor Padi
Further reading: Kunnathoor Padi Sree Muthappan Devasthanam on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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