Thiruvancheri Kavu

Thiruvancheri Kavu is located near Kuthuparamba, Kannur district, Kerala. It is a site of ancient worship where Shakteya rituals are performed. The temple is notable for its integration of Shakta and Shaiva traditions. It is one of the 13 Shakteya temples in Kerala related to Kashmir Shaivism.
The temple was destroyed 200 250 years ago. The Kingdom of Kottayam initiated rebuilding the temple after finding the destroyed remains. The deity is the family goddess of the western branch of the Kingdom of Kottayam. Pazhassi Raja belongs to this family.

Temple architecture and deities

Thiruvanjeri Kavu is designed according to the traditional Kerala temple architecture known as Rurujith Vidhanam. The temple complex houses two sanctum sanctorum where the deities Bhadrakali, Saptha Mathrukkal, Ganapathy, and Virabhadra are enshrined facing the sanctum sanctorum of Shiva. There is a separate sanctum for Kshetrapalaka, revered as Kalabhairava, and believed to be nurtured by Devi.