The temple is situated mid-way between Vaikom and Ettumanoor. Kaduthuruthy is a small town, the northern and western parts of which are spread over by Vembanattu backwaters. During the tenth century this place was under the administration of Pandya Kings. However, it was divided into Vadakkumkoor and Thekkumkoor. Kaduthuruthy became the headquarters of Vadakkumkoor dynasty. The rulers were the supporters of Zamorins. When Marthanda Varma conquered Vadakkumkoor, he showed respect to the rulers by giving them pensions. Gradually this dynasty was declined and removed from the pages of Kerala history.
As it has been mentioned earlier in this book when describing the history of the Vaikom temple, Kharasura had got three idols of which the one he took in his mouth, had been placed at Kaduthuruthy, marking the origin of a temple on the top of a small hill. Now this temple comes under the Travancore Devaswom Board.
The Sivalinga of the temple faces to the east. It is the smallest of the three Sivalingas, only 3” tall. The mandapam in front of the shrine has got an array of wood carvings. The story of ‘Karthaveerarjuneeyam' has been carved and displayed here with architectural elegance. About 300 years ago most part of the temple was consumed by fire, but the mandapam, with its splendid carvings, was remained unhurt. While the fire was spreading out, the chief priest clasped the idol at his breast and cried aloud, but the flames of fire had put an end to his life. An idol of this chief priest had been erected at the northern part of the shrine in order to commemorate the event. At the southern side there stands an idol of Sree Ganapathy. Besides, Dharma Sastha, Goddess Durga had also been placed at the temple.
One Vadakkumkoor Rajah used to worship the three deities at Kaduthuruthy, Vaikom and Ettumanoor on the same day but because of his old age he could not continue it. Instead, he made arrangements at Kaduthuruthy temple for the placement of the other two deities also. As a result, Ettumanoorappan was placed at the southern gate and Vaikathappan at the north. So it is believed that the devotees will get the triple benefit by worshipping the deity at the Kaduthuruthy temple.
A ceremonial 10 day festival is conducted at the temple every year, but it is not so famous as the one at Vaikom or Ettumanoor. In olden days when the place was under the rule of Vadakkumkoor dynasty and anna festival lasting for twenty eight days was celebrated at the temple, but gradually it came to an end.
In fact, it was under the reign of Maha Rani Sethu Lekshmi Bai that the festival had been revived. She enforced orderliness and punctuality in the temple observances. Though in the eighteenth century Vadakkumkoor dynasty had become the part of Travancore, the family deity of the Rajah had fallen into misfortune. It was difficult for the priests to meet with the daily expenses of the temple, and this condition lasted for nearly a century. But a change had occurred when the two families Mangalathur (Panicker) and Thazhathu (Kaimal) came forward and helped financially to maintain the decorum of the temple. Consequently much progress had been achieved. Now it is one of the major temples that come under the Travancore Devaswom Board.
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