Thrippadapuram Sree Mahadeva Temple (Thiruppadhapuram Mahadevar Temple) is an ancient temple located in Kulathoor near Kazhakootam in Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala. Thrippadapuram is considered a sacred confluence of Shaiva and Vaishnava traditions. The temple is believed to enshrine the divine feet of Lord Padmanabha, making it spiritually significant. Although the temple faces east, the main entrance is from the west. It lies along the road leading to Karyavattom, in the heart of Thrippappoor.
Main Deities & Unique Feature
The temple has two main sanctums facing each other—one for Lord Shiva (the principal deity) and the other for Lord Krishna. The form of Shiva worshipped here is believed to be after the emergence of Goddess Bhadrakali from His third eye to destroy the demon Darika. It is believed that Lord Krishna stands opposite, playing His flute to calm Shiva’s anger.
Sub-Deities
The temple also houses five different forms of Lord Shiva along with other deities such as Lord Ganesha, Lord Ayyappa, and serpent deities (Naga Devatas), enriching its spiritual significance.
Thrippadapuram Sree Mahadeva Temple Story
The Divine Play and the Parting
One afternoon, the great saint Vilvamangalam Swamiyar was deeply immersed in his daily puja to Lord Krishna. In a moment of divine playfulness, Unnikannan (the child Krishna) crept up behind the saint and playfully covered his eyes with his hands.
Distracted and momentarily irritated by the interruption, the Swamiyar reflexively brushed the child away with the back of his hand. Saddened by the rejection, the Lord spoke:
"If you wish to see me again, you must find me at Ananthankadu."
With those words, the child who had been the saint’s constant companion vanished.
Heartbroken and filled with regret, the Swamiyar immediately set out to find the mysterious Ananthankadu. He wandered for many days, traveling through villages and wilderness alike. He questioned everyone he met, but no one had ever heard of a place by that name. Just as his hope began to fade, he reached a remote forest.
While resting near a small hut, the Swamiyar overheard a woman scolding her mischievous son. She cried out, "If you don’t behave, I will throw you into Ananthankadu!"
Overjoyed, the Swamiyar rushed to the woman and asked for directions. She pointed toward the dense woods nearby, confirming that the forest before him was the very place he sought.
The Great Transformation
As the saint entered the forest, he witnessed a miraculous sight: the young boy he had been searching for was merging into a massive Banyan tree. Suddenly, the tree crashed to the ground and transformed into the magnificent, reclining form of Lord Anantashayana.
The Lord’s form was so colossal that it spanned miles:
The Head: Located at Thiruvallam.
The Body: Located where the Padmanabhaswamy Temple stands today.
The Feet: Located at Trippadapuram (later known as Trippappoor).
The Sacred Shrinking
Stunned by the sheer scale of the Lord, the Swamiyar realized he could not properly offer worship to a form so vast. He pleaded with the Lord to shrink to a size he could manage—specifically, three times the length of his yoga stick. The Lord graciously obliged, assuming the proportions seen in the temple today.
The Holy Trinity of Temples
Divine spirits are said to reside in all three locations where the Lord first appeared. Legend holds that different incarnations are present at each site:
Thiruvallam: Home to the Vaishnava incarnation, Parashurama.
Thiruvananthapuram: Home to Lord Vishnu (Padmanabhaswamy).
Trippappoor: Home to an incarnation of Lord Shiva.
To this day, it is considered a great blessing to visit all three of these sacred sites on the same day before the noon puja.
Festivals & Rituals
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8-day festival during Thulam month (Chithira Arattu)
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Shivaratri celebration in Kumbham month
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Ashtami Rohini (birth of Lord Krishna) in Chingam month
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Annual Meena Rohini Mahotsavam (8-day festival in Meenam month)
Rituals during Meena Rohini Festival
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Flag hoisting (Kodiyettu)
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Utsava Bali (ritual offerings)
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Pal Payasam Pongala
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Thalappoli procession
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Pallivetta (ritual hunt at Thippetti Sree Dharmasastha Temple)
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Arattu procession (holy ceremonial bath)
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Procession to Ulloor Sree Balasubramanya Temple and Kollur Athiyara Madam for rituals
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Visit to Padmanabhaswamy Temple followed by Arattu at Shankumugham
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Return procession, flag lowering, and Arattu Kalasam
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Daily Dasavatara decoration during the festival