Chirakkal, a beautiful village situated approximately 6 Kms north of Kannur town in Kannur, is famous for its lores and looms, its temples and myths. This village is also the seat of the Royal family of Chirakkal, the successors of the famous Mooshika and Kolathiri dynasties. It is in this village that the famous Kadalayi Sree Krishna Temple, known as the Guruvayur of North Malabar and reputed for its antiquity and holiness, is situated.The idol is in the standing posture with butter in its two hands. There are no sub-deities in this temple. The sanctum of Krishna is rectangular with copper-sheeted roof. The temple also possesses Namaskara mandapam, thidapalli(temple kitchen), Nalambalam, Valiyambalam as well as Gopuram.
The temple attracts thousands of devotees from far and near. There is an interesting myth connected with the origin of the temple. It is believed that the idol consecrated here is the very idol worshiped by Sathyabhama, the consort of Lord Krishna at Dwaraka. One day it happened that she failed to notice her husband standing near her as she was concentrating in a pooja to the idol. Lord Krishna got furious and kicked the idol off the pedestal. It flew and fell in the nearby sea. Its right hand went broken. Time and tide took the idol to the Kannur sea belt.
One day, a fisherman accidentally caught the idol in his fishing net. It being a precious catch, he presented it to King Valabhan, the Kolathiri King ruling over the area more than thousand years ago. Meanwhile, the king had constructed a temple at Kadalayi, a village about 6 Kms north of Kannur and was on the lookout for an idol to be consecrated there. The astrologers understood the sanctity of the idol and confirmed that the idol, though its hand was seen broken and deformed, was worthy of consecration. The idol was thus consecrated at Kadalayi.
When the temple was ruined due to the devastating onslaught of time, a new temple was built at Chirakkal one eighty years ago and the old idol was reconsecrated. The temple, though situated at Chirakkal, came to be called by its old name Kadalayi.
The tantric rights are vested with the Kattumadam Moothedath Illam and Kattumadam Ilayedath Illam.
The annual festival of the temple is from 15th Makaram to 22nd Makaram( falls between the last week of January and the first week of February). The hoisting of the holy flag is on Makaram 15 and holy immersion of the idol in the water which marks the end of the festival is on Makaram 22. Ashtami Rohini, Guruvayoor Ekadashi and the Mandala Pooja is also celebrated in a holy manner.
It is also believed that Kadalayi Krishnan protects children from diseases and other mishaps.
