Sarkara Devi Temple

Sarkara Devi Temple is one of the most famous temples of South India located near Varkala in Thiruvananthapuram District of Kerala State of India. Its main deity is Bhadrakali. The Sarkaradevi Temple assumed a significant status for many reasons and rose to historical importance mainly with the introduction of the famous Kaliyoot festival by Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma, the Travancore sovereign, in 1748.

Kaliyoot is the main festival of the temple which is celebrated in the Malayalam month of kumbham (March). It is a 9 day long festival with rituals and traditional ceremonies conducted in the temple premises. Kaliyoot is the dramatic presentation of the genesis of Bhadrakali and Darika the representatives of good and evil respectively, their confrontation and later the extermination of Darika in devotional terms and with rhythmic footsteps.

Sarkara Devi Temple On Google Map

Meenabharani mahotswavam which is conducted for ten days in the month of March–April is one the other main festival of this temple. The Meenabharani festival generally starts with Kodiyettu (flag hoisting), nine days before the asterism of Bharani which is considered as the birth star of Sarkaradevi. It ends on the tenth day with Arat (holy immersion) of the deity in the temple tank.