Tirunavaya Temple, Malappuram: History, Timings & Visitor Guide

Tirunavaya Temple is open every day, usually from early morning to late evening with a break in the afternoon. Darshan and aarti timings change with the season and on festival days.

• MorningOpens early morning (around 5 to 6 AM)
• AfternoonShort break around midday at many temples
• EveningEvening aarti around sunset, closes by about 8 to 9 PM

Ask the temple office on arrival for the day's aarti schedule.

Dress Code & Temple Rules

• DressModest, traditional clothes covering shoulders and knees
• FootwearRemove before entering; use the shoe stand
• PhotographyNot allowed inside the sanctum
• Not AllowedLeather items, tobacco, alcohol, non-veg food
• QueueFollow queue lines and staff instructions on festival days

This temple is famous for pitru tharpanam. Like most of the temples in Kerala, One has to pay charges at the ticket counter which is hardly less than 100 rupees, And dip in the river(clothes the male needs to wear is mundu or dhoti or veshti) and in the wet clothes offer the tharpanam. All the ritual pooja items will be provided by the temple. After the ritual is complete, the wet clothes have to be changed. The temple strictly does not allow pants or other non Indian wear. Strictly men have to be in dhoti and their shirts removed.

Accommodation is provided by the temple administration. Affordable accommodation is provided here. Rooms and common dormitories are available. One can contact the temple administration for advance bookings.

Legend & Significance

The Vishnu is called "Navamukunda Perumal/Tevar" as it is believed that the idol was the ninth one to be installed in the temple by a group of nine Hindu yogis known as "Navayogis". The first eight idols sank into the Earth as soon as they were placed there and the ninth sank to its knees before it was forcibly stopped. As the location of the sunken idols were not known, devotees used to make pradikshina on their knees. Even Alvancheri Tamparakkal and Tirunavaya Vaddhyans were not exempted from this practice. Tirunavaya is also known as called "Navayogisthala".

According to the legends, goddess Lakshmi and Gajendra, the king of the elephants, worshiped god Vishnu here with lotus flowers from a lake nearby; with the two devotees using flowers from the same source, its supply dwindled, and Gajendra appealed to Vishnu, who took Lakshmi by his side on the same throne and accepted worship offered by Gajendra.

Architecture of Tirunavaya Temple

The present temple is built in Kerala Temple Architecture style, which is almost common in all temples in Kerala.

A rectangular wall around the temple, called kshetra-matilluka pierced by the gateways, encloses all the temples within the temple. The metal plated flag-post (dvaja sthambha) is located axial to the temple tower leading to the central sanctum and there is a dipasthambha, which is the light post. Chuttuambalam is the outer pavilion within the temple walls. The central temple and the associated hall is located in a rectangular structure called nalambalam, which has pillared halls and corridors.

Festivals & Rituals at Tirunavaya Temple

Mamankam festival celebrated in the temple was the most prominent festival in Kerala in the Middle Ages.

Devotees perform prayers for their separated souls (pitrs) on the banks of the River "Bharathappuzha" in the temple.

The major religious practices are Naivilakku, Thamara mala, Palpayasam, Malar para and Thali Charthal.