Thiruvalathur Randu Moorthy Temple

Visitors can come here between 5.30 am to 9.30 am  on Saturday and Sunday and between 5 pm to 8 pm on all other days. The temple hosts a festival on the final day of Vrischika every year between November and December, and that’s when the entire city comes to life.The temple is protected by huge stone walls. There are four entrances to the temple though the two main entrances face east and west. Both temples have roofs clad with copper sheathing. While Annapurneswari temple is at a lower level, the other temple is at a higher level.

Normally statues made with the wood of the jackfruit tree are coated with a saffron paste (Chandan) to prevent decay. However, in this temple, there is no practice of applying Chandan to the Mahishasura Mardini vigraha. In spite of that, the statue is in a very good condition. While no Abhishekam (anointment) is performed to this idol, it is performed on the Uthsava moorthy (idol used for perambulation around the temple) only. Another peculiarity of this temple is that Brahmins do not sit on the Mandapam facing the sanctum.

There is a ten day grand festival in this temple in the Malayalam month of Vrischikam (November-December). On Ekadasi day, there is a tradition of having elephants run around the temple in a race.
In the month of Mesham (April-May), the foundation day of the temple is celebrated. On that day the four thousand stone lamps of the temple are lit in what is called 'Chittu vilakku'. It seems that the oil used for these lamps comes from a nearby village called Enna Padam (oil field).
Getting there
Nearest railway station: Shornur Railway Station, about 13 km
Nearest airport: Cochin International Airport, about 96 km
Google map coordinates: Q972+GM Vaniyamkulam-II, Kerala