Best time to visit : August to November (Festivals) and December to February (Winters)
Kalady is a quaint village located on the banks of Periyar River in the Ernakulam district of Kerala in India.
Famous as the birthplace of Sri Adi Shankara (Philosopher saint and discoverer of Advaita order), this is a majestic Hindu religious site adorning South India with numerous temples and shrines.
Facts
Kalady, which literally means “feet”, has a legend associated to its existence. Sri Adi Shankara who prayed Lord Krishna ardently to save his fainted mother was blessed with a boon from Lord Krishna that the river would flow as per the foot marks of Shankara. It is believed that Sri Sankara diverted the course of River Poorna (Periyar), then flowing far from his house for his mother, so that she could take her daily bath in the river without walking longer.
A shrine built in the memory of Sri Adi Shankara is the prime attraction of Kalady. This octagonal memorial shrine is a 9 storeyed tower presenting different aspects of the saint’s life and 6 different forms of worshipping. Apart from that, there are shrines dedicated to Goddess Sharada and Dakshinamurti too.
Food here is mainly south Indian. But there are lots of options. Other than the idlis, vadas and dosas that people are normally used to, there are other options like appam, coorgi roti, tamarind rice, lemon rice, nachini dosa and others. North Indian food items are not common here. You can find eateries like Lakshmibhavan, Sangeetha and Aryas that offer a wide variety of delicious dishes.
Other than the objects related to the pilgrimage site, there isn't much shopping to do in this place.
Nearby Places:
- Malayattoor is about 9 Km. away from Kalady and is located in the Ernakulum district of Kerala. The mountain and lake here attract a lot of tourists. Though too many people do not reside here, this is a choicest picnic spot for people visit Kalady.
- About 20 Km. away from Kalady is the Kallil temple. It is the birthplace of Adi Shankaracharya and is famous for being a Jain temple of the 9th century. The entire temple is set up in a 28 acre plot and the temple is cut from one single rock. This is a major religious seat not only for Jains but also for those who believe in Adi Shankaracharya.