One of Kerala’s oldest cave temples is the kaviyoor rock cut temple, which is devoted to Lord Siva. The entire structure, which is thought to have been built in the latter part of the eighth century, is reminiscent of the Pallava art tradition. This west-facing cave temple is composed of an Ardhamandapa, a pillared facade, and a central shrine featuring a Sivalinga. The cave’s dimensions are 8 feet 6 inches high by 19 feet 8 inches wide. Three cave openings were revealed by two 8 feet 8-inch tall pillars. Two of the caves have a width of 5 feet, and the other is 4 feet 8 inches.
The central shrine houses a cylindrical Siva linga that has been cut out of rock. The sanctum’s rectangular hall is 19 feet 8 inches by 5 feet in size. On a rectangular Peeda, Sivalinga is positioned inside the square-shaped garbhagriha. There are engraved images of Chathurbhuja Ganapathy and a born sage on the north and south walls of the Ardhamandapa, respectively. One of the two Dwarapalaka figures depicts a chieftain from the area, while the other is holding a “gada.” In 1965, it was designated as a protected monument.
The Thrikkakudi rock-cut cave faces south and is comprised of a sanctum, a rectangular mukha-mandapam, and a facade. It is expertly cut into the roof’s dome shape. The cave floor is slightly elevated above the ground floor, while the plinth is simple. The mukha-mandapam is reached by a flight of four steps. The facade is composed of two enormous pillars in the center and pilasters with square, octagonal, and kattu features on either end. The floor is six feet high, and the walls are plain and simple. There’s no curved cornice molding, or drip line for rainwater, on the rugged rock brow, known as ‘kapota’ (overhanging cornice).
According to one legend, demons constructed the rock-cut monument in a single night. It’s also thought that Lord Shiva and Hanuman from the Kaviyur Mahadeva temple made an appearance here to impede temple construction. To save their own lives, the demons had to leave. According to a different account, the Pandavas from Mahabharatha lived in this cave while they were banished into the forests.
Reputable archaeologist Unnikrishnan suggested that the Thrikkakudi rock-cut cave temple may have once been a Buddhist vihara. This area saw the height of Buddhism and Jainism before the tenth century A.D.
Regular bus service connects Thiruvalla to all of the nation’s major cities. Thiruvalla is connected by road to Kozhikode, Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam Kannur, Kochi, Coimbatore, Chennai, Madurai, Bangalore, and Mangalore.
The town’s railway station, called Thiruvalla Railway Station, is the closest one. About 5 km separate it from Kaviyoor. Nearest Airport: 119 kilometers from Pathanamthitta, Thiruvananthapuram International Airport.
Location of the Thrikkakkudy Cave Temple
Village: Thiruvalla
Taluk: Kaviyoor
Place: Pathanamthitta
District Location: On the Thiruvalla-Kozancheri Route, three kilometers east of Thotta Bhagam and half a kilometer north of Kammalathakidi Junction.
The Thrikkakudi rock-cut cave temple is situated in Thiruvalla taluk, Pathanamthitta district, Kerala, India, PIN 689582, approximately one kilometer northeast of Kaviyoor village. Thiru-kal-kudy, which translates to “holy dwelling place in rock,” is the meaning of the village name Thiruvalla. It is situated 6 km from Thiruvalla and 29 km from Pathanamthitta. Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) renovated the cave temple and conducts a morning pooja ritual there every day.
Situated on the Manimala River’s western bank, Kaviyur Village Panchayat was a part of Nanruzhai Nadu, a state with its capital situated 9 km west of Kaviyoor in what is now Thrikkodithanam. Built-in the tenth century A.D., the Mahadeva temple at Kaviyoor is regarded as one of Kerala’s oldest Shiva (Mahadeva) temples. A 950 A.D. inscription describes gifts given to this temple. The village is one of Kerala’s 64 historically significant Brahmin settlements. Kaviyoor is located at latitude 9°23′0°North (9.3920848) and longitude 76°36′0°East (76.6192022), with an elevation range of 8 to 61 meters.
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