Mullakkal Bhagavathy Temple, Alleppey

Visitor Information

• Popular For: Pilgrims, Cultural Experience Seekers, Architecture and Street Photographers.
• Entry Fee: No Entry Fee
• Visiting Time: 4:30-10:30 am in the morning, 5pm – 8 pm in the evening
• Visit Duration: Not Known.

Mullakal Bhagavathy temple, or the Mullakal Rajeswari temple is a century old temple situated at the heart of the Alleppey city. This is one of the foremost pilgrim attractions of the land of backwaters, Alleppey. Spanning over an illustrious 20 feet area, this temple is known for its deity, goddess Bhagavathy. Legend has it that goddess bhagavathy amman appeared in times of need here in the ancient times. The temple premises has a large quadrangle area with vast corridors and chambers for different gods and goddesses. Of this the post pivotal one is the Bhagavathy chamber, a pious inner sanctum where the idol is kept. The temple ground holds a large banyan tree.  A Shiva lingam adorns this banyan tree. With its grand Kerala style architecture, this sacred shrine of the Hindus draws large number of pilgrims and architecture enthusiasts. As temple hosts numerous festivals, Navaratri being the pivotal one, this place also attracts cultural experience seekers and street photographers.

Traveller Tips

• The place has an area of 20 sq. ft. Hence it is takes time to explore. Keep that in mind.
• Men are forbidden to wear any upper body clothes inside the inner sanctum.
• The temple is located on Mullakkal Road, the busiest road of Alleppey which houses the local market. Hence be careful of the crowd.

Things to Do

• Visit the inner sanctum that houses the goddess bhagavathy deity.
• The temple is considered miraculous and deity fulfils all your wishes. Hence, remember to pray here.
• Witness the Mullakkal Chirappu festival occurring for 11 days which ends with grand cultural programs.
• Navaratri, the most auspicious time of the year is celebrated in grandeur. Don’t miss it.
• Explore the premises and visit special small temples detected to various gods like Krishna, Hanuman etc.
• Witness the Thaipooyakavadi festival, a unique procession of more than 15 Kavadis.
• These festivals play an important role in the life of Alleppey people. Hence it shows the cultural side of them. It is the best opportunity for street photographers and cultural experience seekers.

Availability of Guides

Temples are best suited for exploring on your own. Similar to other temples, the mulakkal temple also do not have any facilities of guides. You are pretty much on your own here.

Best Time to Visit

The most suitable time to visit Alleppey is between September to March. The festival timings offers the best opportunity to visit the temple. Hence, it is the most sought after time. The 2 most important festivals of this temple, Navaratri and Thaipooyakavadi occurs in September and December respectively. November shows the onset of Mullakkal Chirappu festival, a unique festival of the temple. Hence, these 3 months are ideal to visit this place.

How to Reach

The region is well connected by land, air and water transports. The nearest airport is Cochin airport lying at about 90 km from the area. Water is the chief mode of transportation in Backwaters of Alleppey and people generally avail this option. Various houseboats regularly ferry people to Alleppey from various destinations like Kollam, Kottayam, Cochin and others. The Alleppey Railway Station is merely 5km from the temple. Alleppey is well connected to major towns and cities by national highwy no. 40. Buses, autos and taxis ferry people to and fro to this temple from Mullakkal town.

Interesting Facts and Trivia about Mullakkal Bhagavathy Temple

• Initially the deity remained in open space at the jasmine garden. The temple was built later on by King Devanarayana, the Chembagasery king.
• It was then that the Annapurneswari idol was installed by Namboordari Brahmins.
• But later on the old 4 foot tall Rajarajeshwari idol brought in by the soldiers were re-instated. Hence the temple is well known as Mullakal Rajeshwari temple.
• The Prasad here is unique and is given as an urad dal vada. An ancient ritual followed for decades.
• The temple is 500 years old and is governed by the Kerala Devasom Board.
• The temple owns an elephant which along with other elephants is part of the festival.

Nearby Attractions

• There are some renowned temples lying in the vicinity. This includes the Chettikulangara Bhagavathy temple, Subrahmanya Swami Temple and Thrikkuratti Mahadeva temple.
• Buddha Statue and Sarada Mandiram are other sightseeing opportunities that lies close by.
• The Alleppey Beach lies within 2kms.

Nearby Restaurants

• Kream Korner, Skyber, Navya Bakery and Gold View Sweets are the most sought after eateries on Mullakal Road.
• Halais and Dreamers are 2 famous restaurants in Alleppey. They are located at Kodiveedu and Alleppey Beach lying at a distance of 2km and 3km respectively.

Overall, the land of Backwaters, Alleppey has quite a lot to offer apart from its famous boat races and houseboats. The temples being one of those star attractions of Alleppey and the Mullakkal Bhagavathy temple is the foremost attraction in this regard. So, pack your bags and travel to Alleppey for a once in a lifetime experience.