Goddess Gopalika is a form of Mother Goddess Shakti. It is believed that the Goddess is the sister of Sri Krishna. She had escaped from the clutches of Kamsa when she attempted to kill the eight child of Devaki.
Goddess Gopalika was the kudumba paradevata of Payyur Bhattathiri family. The family had made immense contribution to Sanskrit literature and Mimamsa Darshanam. The only known temple of Goddess Gopalika is located at Porkalam near Guruvayur.
The deity is today mainly worshipped as Goddess Durga or Karthiyayini.
The temple and the place is mentioned in the Kokila Sandesha of Uddanda Shastrikal.