Kadalayi Sree Krishna Temple, also known as Chirakkal Sree Krishna kshetram, is located at Chirakkal village on the Kannur – Payyannur road in Kannur district, Kerala. The 7-day annual festival in the temple is observed from Makaram 15 and ends on Makaram 22.
The main deity worshipped in the temple is Sri Krishna. The murti in the temple is believed to have belonged to Sathyabhama (wife of Krishna). The deity faces west. The temple is located on the banks of a huge pond.
Legend has it that the Vallavan Kolathiri of Kola Swaroopam one day reached the seashore to perform sandhya vandanam. Here he found that the fishermen had got a Sree Krishna murti from the sea and they had placed it on shore. The Kolathiri and installed it at Kadalayikotta. Kadal in Malayalam means sea. As the temple was very close to the sea it came to be known as Kadaluvayi – one near the mouth of sea. Later the name transformed into Kadalayi.
During the attack of Tipu Sultan on temples in North Kerala, the main priest of the temple Kallampally Embranthiri took the main Vigraham to his illam in Cheruthazham and performed the pujas. The Kolathiri later took the Vigraham and installed at Chalakunnu near Chirakkal. There is also a belief that the current temple was built by Chirakkal Valiya Thampuran (1888 – 1911).
Some of the other annual festivals in the temple include Ashtami Rohini, Guruvayur Ekadashi and Mandala Puja.
This is a beautiful Kerala style temple with the child form Bhagavan Sri Krishna. The temple has a sreekovil which faces east, kodimaram, namaskara mandapam and shrines of upa devatas.
The temple is noted for its beautiful pictures on the walls of the chuttambalam. There is also a well maintained pond.
Shuddhi Kalasam and Naveekarana Kalasam are performed in the temple for sin redemption, peace and prosperity. Palpayasam is an important offering in the temple.