Kalady is a village located at 10.02 East and 76.20 East on the right of Periyar (Poorna) river, in Ernakulam district of Kerala state, Southern India. This is an important pilgrimage center since it is the birthplace of Sri Adi Sankara, one of India's foremost philosopher saints who preached the monistic or 'Advaita' philosophy.
How to Reach
Cochin International Airport, Nedumbassery is the nearest airport just 10 km away from Kalady. Angamaly (10 km away), or Aluva (22 km away), are the nearest railway stations which are connected to major Indian cities. Buses and taxis are available from Angamaly to Kalady. Kalady is connected by public transport system with important towns in Kerala including Thrissur, Thiruvananthapuram, Palakkad, Kottayam and Kozhikode.
Kalady is located in Main Central road (MC Road). So if you are coming from the upper region of Kerala, you need to divert at Angamaly to enter the MC Road.
Get around
Local private buses ply to almost all the parts of Kalady. The bus frequency is 10 minutes in peak times and up to 30 minutes in off peak hours. Another option is to get around is to use the auto-rickshaw service. They are also very cost-effective and available in all parts of Kalady
See
One kilometer north of Kalady is the Manickamangalam temple, dedicated to Bhagavathi or Goddess Durga. Father of Sree Sankara Shiva Sharman Namboodiri was the Priest in this temple. One day he could not go by himself and sent Sankara with a measure of milk as offering to Devi. Little Sankara noticed that even after the offering, the measure of milk before Devi remained unchanged. He was sad and started to cry. Devi took pity on the boy and drank the milk. References to the deity can be found in Soundarya Lahari.
Two kilometers west of Kaladi is Vellamanthulli temple. The installation of the deity was done by Siva Sarman namboodiri - father of Sree Sankara. For the aged couples after prayers at Lord Shiva of Vadakkum nathan Temple at Vrisha mooka chalam — Thri Siva peroor — about 30 km north of Kalady Sankara was born . As the couples became still older they could not walk the whole distance, but still wanted to have darshan of the Lord. So Shiva appeared in dream and suggested Shiva sarman nambudiri to follow a dancing white deer which will appear before his house next day and will find an idol where it disappears just worship that and no need to walk the whole distance . The dream became true and This Siva temple "Thiru Vella Man Thulli" (meaning in Malayalam / Tamil - dancing white deer suggesting the incident) was thus installed by Sree Sankara's father.
Nayathodu Sankara Narayana Temple just 3 km west is an example of Advaitam in worship by Sankara Acharya . Once he prayed Shiv the deity in the temple with Vishnu Manthram and Vishnu also started to reside in same idol. Even now after first offerings to Shiva everything is removed off and offerings to Vishnu made in same idol.
Father of Sree Sankara — Sivasarman Nambudiri — was The Priest of Karpillykavu Shiva temple, just 8 km to the south at Manjapra.
Eat
There are a lot of hotels available in the town serving both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food.
- K K Towers, Near University (Malayattoor Road). One of the best stay offered in kalady. 250-800
- Aryas, Near Bus Station.
- Lakshmibhavan, Kalady Junction. Vegetarian
- Sangeetha, Kalady Junction.
Sleep
Guest houses and lodges are maintained by Sringeri Math and Ramakrishna Advaita Ashram.
- Government Rest House
- Private lodges like hotel Prince and Udaya Lodge also offer economical accommodation.
- K K Towers, Near University (Malayattoor Road). One of the best stay in kalady. 250-800.
- KTDC Tamarind, Enchacka Kavala (Mattoor-Malayattoor Road). Owned and run by kerala tourism department.
Reproduced from Wikipedia
