Olarikkara Sree Bhagavathi Temple

About this place

Olarikkara Sree Bhagavathi Temple is the Bhagavathy temple of Olari, on the western side of Thrissur, about 4 kilometres from the town. The shrine stands in a wide ground, with the sanctum facing east and a gopuram easy to see from the Thrissur–Kanjany road. People in the neighbourhood know the Goddess as Thattakathamma, the mother of the four desoms of Ayyanthole, Olarikkara, Pullazhy and Puthurkkara.

The worship is tied to the name of the place. Temple tradition says that a Brahmin house once stood here, and that Goddess Vanadurga was worshipped in its nadumuttam, the open inner courtyard. The Brahmin carried the title Ola, so the spot was called Ola Irikkum Kara, the place where Ola lived, which later became Olarikkara. Another local belief says the Bhagavathy arrived from Kodungallur on an olakkuda, a palm-leaf umbrella. The present temple was built by devotees of the Olarikkara thattakam. The Goddess is also called Kalimatha, and she is worshipped with the qualities of Lakshmi and Saraswati as well as Durga.

The custom is to pray first at Kshetrapalakan, the guardian deity, whose shrine faces west, and then go in for Bhagavathy darshan. From the gopuram it is a short walk to the sanctum. Two wedding halls, Durganjali and Sreelakshmy, stand beside the devaswom office, so the compound is used for family functions as well as daily pooja. Listed hours are about 5:00 am to 11:15 am and 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm. Usha pooja is at about 7:30 am, ucha pooja at about 11:00 am, deeparadhana around 6:20 pm and athazha pooja around 7:15 pm. Some listings put the evening closing nearer 8 pm. Festival days run longer. Traditional dress is expected, and footwear is left outside.

East of the main shrine is Kandankavu, a grove for Kandan. The story told here is that Kandan was a sorcerer of the Umma Pilly family in Chettupuzha. After his death the family sought the Goddess’s protection, and the temple oracle is said to have contained his spirit in a clay pot and buried it behind the shrine. He is worshipped as her devotee, with the title Vettothikkaran. Devotees who come for Bhagavathy darshan also light an oil lamp for him. The main offering at Kandankavu is kalasam, and lighting that lamp is believed to bring prosperity.

The festival that fills the ground is the Thalappoli Mahotsavam in Dhanu, around December and January. It runs for three days. Listings place Thalappoli on the first Friday in January that falls after the 16th of Dhanu. The first day is Kandankavu Vela, with Harinamakeerthanam, udayasthamana pooja, a procession, niramala, chuttu vilakku and deeparadhana. The second day is Kshetrapalakante Vela, with the same round of rites and anayoottu, the feeding of the elephants. The third day is Thalappoli. Women carry thalams, plates set with lamps and flowers, and the procession includes ezhunnallippu, panchavadyam, kudamattom, keli and thayambaka. The festival closes with kalasam.

Other dates run through the year. The installation day falls on Hastham star in Meenam, around March or April, with melam and prasadam. Navaratri in Kanni brings laksharchana and Durga pooja. Karkidakam has a Navaham, a reading of the Devi’s story, and Illam Nira on the Sunday after the new moon. The serpent grove marks its day on the first Ayilyam of Kumbham. From the start of Vrischikam until Thalappoli, Mandalam is observed with ezhuthu pattu, the sung drawing of the kalam.

Olarikkara Sree Bhagavathi Temple suits a morning or evening darshan from Thrissur, and a longer visit if the date falls on Thalappoli. For a search on the Olari Bhagavathy temple, Kandankavu, or Thalappoli in Thrissur, this is the east-facing shrine on the Kanjany side of the city.

🚆 Railway Thrissur Railway Station (~4 km)

✈️ Airport Cochin International Airport (~55 km)

🚌 Bus Olari bus stop on the Thrissur–Kanjany route (Mother Hospital / ESI stretch); Pullazhi Aal bus stop is also nearby

🏨 Stay Niya Regency, Olarikkara (~1 km) / Joys Palace, Thrissur / Hyatt Regency Thrissur

✅ Notes Olarikkara Sree Bhagavathi Temple is an east-facing Bhagavathy shrine known for Thalappoli in Dhanu, Kandankavu, and prayers at Kshetrapalakan before Devi darshan. Listed hours are about 5:00–11:15 am and 5:00–7:30 pm.