Cheruthazham Sree Kunninmathilakam Mahadeva Temple

The temple maintains a structured schedule of worship throughout the day. Darshan is available from 5:00 to 9:00 in the morning and from 5:00 to 8:00 in the evening. The ritual day begins well before dawn, with Nirmalya Darshanam at 3:00 AM, allowing devotees to view the deity adorned from the previous night's worship. The principal aartis (ritual offerings) occur at specific times: Usha Pooja at 4:30 AM marks the dawn worship, Ucha Pooja at noon coincides with midday, Sayahna Deeparadhana at 6:30 PM involves the lighting of lamps as evening approaches, and Athazha Pooja at 8:30 PM concludes the day's formal worship. Between these major rituals, additional offerings such as Malar Nivedyam (flower offerings) and Ethirtham (sacred water) are presented to the deity. Devotees seeking specific blessings or wishing to sponsor rituals can arrange various forms of worship, including Udayasthamana Pooja (sponsoring all rituals from sunrise to sunset) and Tulapooja (special abhisheka or ritual bathing of the deity).

Visiting the Temple

The temple is located in Cheruthazham village, Mandur postal area, in Kannur District. The coordinates are 12.053055555556 North latitude and 75.255833333333 East longitude. The address for navigation is Cheruthazham, Mandur P.O., Kannur District, Kerala 670501. Visitors should plan their visit according to the darshan timings: morning hours from 5:00 to 9:00 AM and evening hours from 5:00 to 8:00 PM. As with most Hindu temples in Kerala, modest dress is expected—men typically wear traditional mundu (dhoti) or simple trousers and shirt, while women wear saree or salwar kameez. Footwear is removed before entering the sanctum. The temple is managed by the Guruvayur Devaswom Board, and inquiries can be directed to the temple contact number 085479 22487. Visitors are advised to check current timings before arrival, as festival days may have modified hours of worship.

Offerings and Rituals

The temple provides several options for devotees wishing to make offerings or sponsor rituals. Thulabharam, a traditional form of worship where the devotee is weighed against flowers, fruits, or gold, is available by weight. Ekadasi Vilakku allows devotees to offer lamps on Ekadasi days (the eleventh lunar day, considered auspicious in Hindu practice). Annadanam, the sponsoring of food for pilgrims, is another form of service available to those wishing to contribute to the temple's functioning. These vazhipadu (ritual sponsorships) allow visitors to participate actively in the temple's worship rather than as passive observers, deepening their spiritual engagement with the shrine.