Mridanga Saileswari: A temple for Goddess of Music

 

If you are a traveler who seeks more than just destinations – if you long for stories, whispers of the past, and places where history and divinity embrace each other – then Muzhakkunnu, in the heart of Kannur, Kerala, is the place for you. Nestled amidst hills that echo with culture and legends stands the Mridanga Shaileswari Temple, one among the 108 Durga temples consecrated by Lord Parasurama himself.

The presiding deity here is Durga Devi, worshipped as the patroness of music, knowledge, and the arts. The name Muzhakkunnu or Mizhavu Kunnu comes from the mountain shaped like the traditional percussion instrument Mizhavu. Local lore tells us that the divine drum of the gods, the Mridangam, once fell from heaven right at this very spot. Thus, the temple was celebrated in ancient records as Mridanga Shaili Nilayam – the sacred abode of the Mridangam.

Inside the temple lies a secret chamber, a sanctum reserved for Mizhavil Bhagwati. Pilgrims believe that their worship remains incomplete unless they pay homage to her, making this inner shrine a mystical destination within the sacred complex. The temple’s significance goes beyond faith. It is deeply intertwined with Kerala’s cultural history. 

The Kottayam royal family has long revered the Goddess as their family deity, and the legendary warrior Pazhassi Raja, known as the “Lion of Kerala,” once bowed before her for strength and guidance. Even more fascinating, this very temple is believed to be the cradle of Kathakali, Kerala’s world-renowned dance-drama. The Kottayam Thampuran, who shaped Kathakali into its classical form, is said to have drawn divine inspiration from the Goddess here. Listen closely to any Kathakali performance, and you may still hear the name Sri Mridanga Saileswari resound in reverence.

The place is wrapped in a special mystique, the temple has its share of intriguing tales. In a candid interview, a retired DGP once revealed that the temple had faced three attempts of theft. Astonishingly, each time the idol was stolen, the culprits returned it on their own. Their explanation? Strange illnesses, haunting visions, and unexplainable misfortunes followed them until the idol was restored to its rightful place. While historians may dismiss these as stories without proof, devotees see them as a testament to the Goddess’s undeniable power. Since then, the temple has stood undisturbed, with faith only growing stronger.

As you walk through the temple’s fortified walls, you will feel more than just the cool stone beneath your feet, it also reveres in stories of warriors and artists, of gods and mortals, of music that fell from heaven. The land around is as serene and divine as the shrine itself, offering you not just a place of worship, but an experience of Kerala’s living heritage. For the curious traveler, the Mridanga Shaileswari Temple is not merely a stop on the map. It is a journey into legend, faith, and art – a destination where every echo is a note, and every stone, a story.