Manappully Kavu Bhagavaty Temple Palakkad, Palghat Kerala | Cave Temple Kerala

Manappully Kavu Bhagavaty Temple Palakkad, Palghat Kerala | Cave Temple Kerala

The Goddess appears as a flat black face against red cloth, with metal etchings marking her features. The starkness is reminiscent of both primeval and modern sculpture. In the circling camphor flame those golden eyes leap to life with a startling suddenness. The tilakam flares into molten gold. The priest does not have to tell you that this is a Sakti peetam. You feel the power in those eyes, at once cool and burning. The image blends with its living backdrop of tree trunk folds. "The deity is of Durga, but in the form taken by Kannagi, who came to reside here after widowhood," the priest continues. He points to an earthen lamp in a niche within the sanctum, the original force field of the temple. The deity he terms `Vaal Kannadi Bimbam' a reflection of that power within, a form for worship four times a day. The temple attracts visitors throughout the year, peaking at the annual summer festival, which includes shows of music and dance.

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