Chakkulathukavu Temple, Hindu temple in Neerattupuram, India
Chakkulathukavu Temple is a Hindu sanctuary located near where the Pamba and Manimala rivers meet in Alappuzha district, Kerala. The complex features an inner sanctum, a shrine dedicated to Goddess Durga, and spaces for religious gatherings arranged along the local riverscape.
A hunter is said to have struck a snake at a termite mound by a pond, releasing a spring; the sage Narada appeared and drew out a Durga image, which the hunter's family worshipped with clay-pot offerings. Brahmins later settled there and the Pattamana Illam Namboothiri built the tantric temple. A 1981 renovation installed the eight-armed Vanadurga form.
The temple serves as a gathering place where women participate in the Pongala festival during November and December, preparing rice offerings in clay pots using fire drawn from the inner sanctum. This practice connects religious devotion with a tradition that brings together women across generations.
The temple stands in the middle of Neerattupuram village, facing east, with the Pamba River to the south and the Manimala River to the north. The Ambalappuzha–Thiruvalla state highway runs along its northern side, and KSRTC buses from Thiruvalla to Alappuzha pass every seven minutes. The site is about 9 km from Thiruvalla railway station and city centre.
The temple is called the "Sabarimala of women" of central Travancore, and its Pongala queue has been reported to stretch about 20 km. The Yakshi shrine outside the nalambalam, southwest of the main sanctum, holds a figure in the form of a valkannadi (hand mirror).
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 94,043 contributors worldwide.