108 Shiva Temples
This is a List of the 108 Shiva Temples mentioned in the Shivalaya Stothram.
Background
According to Hindu mythology, Lord Parasurama created the land between Gokarna and Kanyakumari. It is said that Kerala was reclaimed from the ocean using his axe for donating to Brahmins after killing of King Kartavirya Arjuna and other Kshatriyas.[1] He split this land in to 64 villages (64 gramas). Out of these 64 villages, 32 villages are in between Perumpuzha and Gokarnam and the spoken language was Tulu. The remaining 32 villages were in Malayalam speaking area between Perumpuzha and Kanyakumari.[2][3]
Parasurama the sixth avatar of Maha Vishnu, he was youngest son of sage Jamadagni and Renuka. According legends, after donating the land to Brahmins, Hundred and Eight Maha Shiva Lingam and Durga Idols were installed in these 64 villages. These Hundred and Eight Shiva Temples are mentioned in the Shivala Sotram and song is written in Malayalam language.[4] Of the 108 Siva Temples, 105 temples are situated in Kerala state, 2 temples in Karnataka and 1 in Kanyakumari District of Tamil Nadu.[5]
List of temples
References
- Book Title: Pilgrimage to Temple Heritage; Author: Info kerala Communications Pvt. Ltd; Editor: Mr.Biju Mathew; Publisher: Info Kerala Communications Pvt Ltd, 2017; ISBN 819345670X, 9788193456705
- Book Title: The Collected Aithihyamaala - The Garland of legends from Kerala Volume 1-3, Author: Kottarathil Sankunni Translated by Leela James, ISBN 978-93-5009-968-1; Publisher: Hachette Book Publishing india Pvt Ltd, 4/5 floor, Corporate Centre, Plot No.:94, Sector 44, Gurgaon, India 122003; (First published in Bhashaposhini Literary Magazine in 1855~1937)
- Book Title: Kerala District Gazetteers: Palghat; Gazetteer of India Volume 6 of Kerala District Gazetteers, Kerala (India) Authors Kerala (India), C. K. Kareem Publisher printed by the Superintendent of Govt. Presses, 1976 Original from the University of Michigan Digitized 2 Sep 2008 Subjects History › Asia › India & South Asia History / Asia / India & South Asia Kerala (India)
- Book Title A handbook of Kerala, Volume 2 A Handbook of Kerala, T. Madhava Menon Authors T. Madhava Menon, International School of Dravidian Linguistics Publisher International School of Dravidian Linguistics, 2002 Original from the University of Michigan Digitized 2 Sep 2008 ISBN 8185692319, 9788185692319 Length: 496 pages; Kerala (India)
- Book Title: 108 Siva Kshetrangal, Author:Kunjikuttan Ilayath, Publishers: H and C Books