Trikkur Mahadeva Temple

Trikkur Mahadeva Temple- Kerala
The temple is located on the top of a hillock. 30ft long and 12ft broad cave in the rocky top is natural. The huge sivalinga is in southern end of the cave.Above this on the top rock there is a waterhole which never dries up even in the hottest summer. The temple is constructed without harming any of the natural setup. One of the achans of paliam constructed the outer wall and other protective structures and a gopuram fully protecting the environment. The blessing of the diety is considered a sure cure for asthma.Its outstanding features are its detachable lingam on a monolithic square pitha, the orientation of the waterchuts of the pitha to the north of the entrance direction of the cave, thus making the linga itself face east, the carving of the dwarapala in three quarter relief on the side walls of the cellar chamber and not on the outer walls flanking the door, the cellar being entered not by a single door but by a pillared facade with three bays whose pillars have a taranga or wavy corbel of the vaulted type. Ganesa sculpture in the northwest cellar wall shows familiarity of the artist with the Pandyan usages, and thus making the cave shrine ascribably to the early eighth century.