Puthiyakavu - Battle-ground of goddesses

Puthiyakavu bhagavathy temple is located near Thripunithura, 11 kms from Ernakulam. It celebrates a seven-day festival every year. The third and fourth days are very auspicious for unmarried women and they come to offer thalams. On the last night Thookam is performed followed by a fire works display to conclude the festival.

According to the myths, long time ago there was a temple called 'Periyakavu'. The temple was that of a ferocious merciless Goddess. This temple was on the premises of the Manadatu Illam. The temple was under neglect, after the Illam merged with the 'Allugal Illam'. The neglect caused the Goddess to hurt or injure the passers-by. Once a little Namboodiri boy went that way and even he was not spared. He was killed atrociously and his nails, hair and tooth were dropped for everyone to see. The father of the boy went in search of him. He came to know from passers-by that his boy had met a horrific fate.

The father turned revengeful and barged into the temple. He sweared that after 41 days of the death of his child, only one would live, either him or the goddess. After finishing the death ceremonies the father left for Kodunagaloor and spent 41 days there singing the glories of the Kodungallooramma. On the 41st night the Kodungallooramma came to his dreams and told him that on the next day, when he takes bath, he will come by a stone in the pond . This stone is verily the Kodungallooramma herself. He must carry the stone with him and install it only at the appropriate location. If he leaves the stone on the ground the Goddess will stay there permanently.

On his way home Valamthurithi Bhattadiri saw him and joined him on his journey. Not very far from the temple of the fierce Goddess the Namboodiri wanted to relieve himself and handed over the stone to him. The Namboodiri narrated the entire story to the Bhattadiri and told him not to leave it on the ground. The Bhatrtdairi promised that he will not keep it down. Even if a situation comes so that he has to leave it down he will call the Namboodiri 3 times . As fate would have it, the Namboodiri did not come back in 3 call so the stone was placed where it it now (Puthyakavu).

The Goddess thus installed came to be called as PuthiyaKavu devi and she drove away the wicked Goddess. She also brought everyone peace and happiness to people who lived there. She is worshipped as Sarawathi in the Morning, Kali at noon and Parvathi in the evening.