Thirunavaya Navamukunda Templeतिरुनावाया नवमुकुंद मंदिर

About Thirunavaya Navamukunda Temple

The Navamukunda Temple stands at Tirunavaya in Malappuram district of Kerala, on the northern bank of the Bharathappuzha (Nila), Kerala's longest river. Lord Vishnu is worshipped here as Navamukunda, and the temple is one of the 108 Divya Desams praised in the hymns of the Tamil Alvar saints. The goddess Lakshmi has her own separate shrine, which is unusual in Kerala. With Brahma and Shiva temples on the opposite bank at Cherutirunavaya, the site is regarded as a meeting place of the Trimurti, and the river bank here is held to be as sacred as Kashi for ancestral offerings.

Tradition says that nine yogis, the Navayogis, installed images of Vishnu here one after another; the first eight sank into the earth, and the ninth began to sink until it was held back, which is why the deity is called Navamukunda. Another legend tells of Lakshmi and the elephant king Gajendra both worshipping Vishnu with lotuses from the same pond, until Vishnu seated Lakshmi beside him and accepted Gajendra's worship. In history, the sandbanks of the river near the temple were the venue of the Mamankam, a grand assembly held once every twelve years for centuries, later presided over by the Zamorin of Calicut. The temple was damaged in the 18th century and again in the early 20th century, and has since been restored.

The temple follows the traditional Kerala style, with a square sanctum on a granite base under a conical tiled roof, a namaskara mandapam, a flagstaff and lamp tower, and an outer courtyard within walls. Parts of the woodwork carry carved scenes from the epics. The temple has no tank or well of its own, and river water is used for the rituals. On Karkidaka Vavu each year, huge numbers of people gather on the river bank to perform bali tarpanam for their ancestors.

Thirunavaya Navamukunda Temple timings & aarti

Usually open from about 5:00 AM to 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, with changes on festival days. Times may vary; check locally before visiting.

Timings change on festivals, eclipses and special days. Please confirm locally before you travel.

How to reach Thirunavaya Navamukunda Temple

Festivals at Thirunavaya Navamukunda Temple

• Karkidaka Vavu (bali tarpanam)Jul/Aug
• Ashtami Rohini (Janmashtami)Aug/Sep
• Vaikuntha EkadashiDec/Jan

Visitor tips

Dress code

Following Kerala temple custom, men usually remove shirts and wear a mundu or dhoti; women wear saree or other traditional dress. Entry to the inner temple is generally for Hindus.

Entry

Free. Charges apply for specific offerings and bali tarpanam rites.

• Arrive very early on Karkidaka Vavu if you wish to perform bali tarpanam; queues form before dawn.
• Follow the Kerala temple dress code; photography inside is not allowed.
• The temple closes early in the evening, so plan your visit for the morning.
• Visit the Mamankam memorial sites nearby to understand the history of the place.

Places to visit near Thirunavaya Navamukunda Temple

• Mamankam memorials (Nilapaduthara and Manikinar)Historic sites linked to the Mamankam festival, about 1–2 km away
• Cherutirunavaya Brahma and Shiva templesAcross the Bharathappuzha, about 3 km away by road
• TirurNearby town with a major railway station, about 9 km away
• Thunchan ParambuBirthplace of the poet Thunchath Ezhuthachan, about 12 km away

Frequently asked questions