Panniyur Sri Varahamoorthy Temple, Hindu temple in Kumbidi, Kerala

Panniyur Sri Varahamoorthy Temple stands at Panniyur in Kumbidi, Palakkad district. The long, low shrine has white walls and a red-brown tiled roof, with a two-tiered square tower at its left end and two smaller square towers breaking the long wall to its right. A grassy field lies in front, with trees and hills behind.

Tradition holds that Parasurama consecrated the temple about 4,000 years ago, making it Kerala's first. Stone engravings record the Panniyuraayiram, a 1,000-member body that ran its cultural and religious activities 1,200 years ago. Perumthachan is credited with rebuilding it, and his chisel and measuring rod are kept at the temple.

The village name Panniyur is linked to the temple's presiding deity, Varaha, the boar avatar of Vishnu, worshipped here with Goddess Bhumi. Stone engravings record the Panniyuraayiram, an organisation of 1000 members who carried out the temple's cultural and religious activities. Carpenters at Panniyur still hold that their profession will never lack work here, and the chisel and measuring rod dropped by Perumthachan are kept at the temple and shown to visitors.

Visitors must remove their footwear before entering the sacred area and wear appropriate clothing for the visit. The building can be explored during daytime hours, with morning and evening prayers being the most active times to observe the space.

The Malayalam article records that the temple's last renovation was carried out by Perumthachan of the Ulliyannur family, the master carpenter of the Parayi Petta Pantirukula legend, and that this was the last temple he built. The carpenters' chisels and measuring rods he set down are kept at the temple and shown to visitors.