Madayi Kavu (Thiruvarkadu Bhagavathy Temple)
Bhadrakali (as Thiruvarkadu Bhagavathy, Madayikkavilamma) temple · Madayi (near Pazhayangadi), Kannur, Kerala, India
Madayi Kavu, formally the Thiruvarkadu Bhagavathy Temple, is a shrine of the goddess Bhadrakali at Madayi, just north of Pazhayangadi town in Kannur district, north Kerala. Wikipedia describes the goddess as the fierce form of Bhadrakali, and Kerala Tourism lists her as Kali in her victorious form after slaying the demon Darika.
The temple stands beside Madayipara, a laterite plateau that Kerala Tourism lists among the attractions of the area along with the Madayi Kavu and the Vadukunnu Shiva temple. Wikipedia records that the temple is administered by the Malabar Devaswom Board and was formerly a shrine of the Chirakkal royal family, while a Kerala Tourism festival listing says it was originally under the control of the Kolathiri kings.
Faith & Tradition
Religious Significance of Madayi Kavu (Thiruvarkadu Bhagavathy Temple)
The temple has two main sanctums. According to Wikipedia and Kerala Tourism, the Shiva shrine faces east while the Bhadrakali shrine faces west. Wikipedia explains that the shrine seen first from the front entrance is Shiva's, which is why the temple is known by the name Thiruvarkadu, associated with Shiva, rather than by the goddess's name.
Madayi Kavu follows a Shakta (goddess-centred) form of worship that differs from the usual Kerala temple pattern. Kerala Tourism's Theyyam calendar describes it as a well-known kavu of the Kaula tradition, and Wikipedia and Kerala Tourism both mention the Kozhi Kalasham, an offering of poultry to the goddess, as a distinctive rite. Devotees traditionally regard the goddess as a protector against sorcery and black magic, according to Kerala Tourism.
Theyyam is also part of the temple's life. Kerala Tourism lists Theyyams performed here, including Thiruvar Kaattamma, Someswari and Kalaratri, staged around the kottam to the north of the temple, and a dense sacred grove is maintained beside the kavu.
Heritage
History of Madayi Kavu (Thiruvarkadu Bhagavathy Temple)
Two legends of the temple's origin are recorded by Wikipedia and Kerala Tourism. In one, the goddess first resided in the Rajarajeshwara Temple at Taliparamba but, because her worship included non-vegetarian offerings, asked the king of the region to build her a separate shrine. In the other, after she killed the demon Darika she asked Shiva for a place near him; Shiva directed Parashurama, who is said to have created Madayipara and the shrine on it.
Wikipedia records a tradition that a scholar from Kashmir, travelling south, founded thirteen shrines of goddess worship in Kerala, with Madayi Kavu among them alongside Kodungallur and others. This is presented in the sources as tradition, not dated history.
The surrounding area has a long recorded past. Kerala Tourism notes that Madayipara was once an administrative centre of the kings of Ezhimala and that a fort there was built by a king of the Kolathiri (Kolathu) line. Accounts recorded by Wikipedia and Kerala Tourism also link the temple to the Mysorean incursions into Malabar in the late eighteenth century, though they differ on the details.
Architecture and sacred features
The temple is built in the Kerala style, with separate sanctums for Shiva (facing east) and Bhadrakali (facing west), according to Wikipedia and Kerala Tourism. The goddess's sanctum lies deeper inside the shrine and does not face the main entrance. A sacred grove adjoins the temple, and the Theyyam ground (kottam) lies to its north.
Plan Your Visit
Darshan and Visitor Information
Wikipedia records a traditional Kerala temple dress code, with men in mundu and without shirts inside the inner shrine. Festival days, especially the Pooram in Meenam, draw large crowds. Confirm current darshan timings, dress rules and offering arrangements with the temple office or the Malabar Devaswom Board before visiting.
Timings and arrangements change with seasons and festivals. Confirm current details with Malabar Devaswom Board (per Wikipedia) before travelling. Last reviewed 1 November 2026.
Sacred Calendar
Festivals at Madayi Kavu (Thiruvarkadu Bhagavathy Temple)
Pooram
The main festival, from the Karthika star to the Pooram star in Meenam, with a flag-hoisting, daily processions, lamp offerings and cultural programmes. It ends with the Pooram Kuli, a ritual bath at the Vadukunnu temple tank, according to Kerala Tourism.
Theyyam festival (Perumkaliyattam)
Kerala Tourism's Theyyam calendar lists the temple's Theyyam festival around the 10th of Edavam, and Wikipedia records the Perumkaliyattam in the same month, with Theyyams performed around the kottam north of the temple.
Location
How to Reach Madayi Kavu (Thiruvarkadu Bhagavathy Temple)
The Kerala Tourism festival listing places the temple 1.3 km from Pazhayangadi town, about 500 m from Eripuram junction, and 2.4 km from Pazhayangadi railway station on the Shoranur–Mangalore line. Wikipedia gives Kannur railway station as about 24.5 km away and Kannur International Airport as the nearest airport, about 48.5 km away.
The temple lies on the Pappinisseri–Pilathara road; NH 66 is reached at Pilathara, according to Wikipedia.
Location: Madayi (near Pazhayangadi), Kannur, Kerala, India
Nearest airport: Kannur International Airport (about 48.5 km, per Wikipedia)
Nearest railway station: Pazhayangadi (about 2.4 km, per Kerala Tourism)
More in Hindu temples in Kerala · Bhadrakali (as Thiruvarkadu Bhagavathy, Madayikkavilamma) temples · Temples in Madayi (Ct) · Temples in Payyanur Taluk · Temples in Kannur District
Questions
Madayi Kavu (Thiruvarkadu Bhagavathy Temple): Frequently Asked Questions
Which deity is worshipped at Madayi Kavu?
The goddess Bhadrakali, worshipped in her fierce form as Thiruvarkadu Bhagavathy or Madayikkavilamma. The temple also has an east-facing Shiva sanctum.
Why is Madayi Kavu called the Thiruvarkadu temple?
According to Wikipedia, the sanctum seen from the front entrance is Shiva's, and the name Thiruvarkadu is associated with Shiva; the goddess's sanctum lies further inside and faces west.
What is the main festival at Madayi Kavu?
The Pooram festival in the Malayalam month of Meenam (March–April), which runs from the Karthika star to the Pooram star and ends with a ritual bath at the Vadukunnu temple tank.
What is the legend of Madayi Kavu?
One legend says the goddess first lived at the Rajarajeshwara Temple, Taliparamba, and asked for a separate shrine; another says that after killing the demon Darika she asked Shiva for a place, and Parashurama created Madayipara and the shrine.
Who manages Madayi Kavu?
Wikipedia records that the temple is administered by the Malabar Devaswom Board; it was formerly associated with the Chirakkal royal family.
How do I reach Madayi Kavu?
The temple is about 1.3 km north of Pazhayangadi town and 2.4 km from Pazhayangadi railway station, according to Kerala Tourism. Kannur International Airport is about 48.5 km away.
Sources and attribution
- Kerala Tourism (Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala) – 1000 Festivals — Pooram – Thiruvarkadu Bhagavathi Temple (festival listing)
- Kerala Tourism (Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala) — Theyyam calendar: Madayikkavu
- Kerala Tourism (Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala) — Madayipara
- Kerala Tourism (Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala) — Madayipara (Kerala Tourism newsletter, 2021)
- Wikipedia — Madayi Kavu
Further reading: Madayi Kavu (Thiruvarkadu Bhagavathy Temple) on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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