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Padanilam Parabrahma Temple is situated at Padanilam, Alappuzha district of Kerala, India. It is one of the major temples in Kerala. It is situated 17 km from Kayamkulam and 16 km from Mavelikkara. The presiding deity here is Parabrahma, the integration of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. It is one of the rare temples where there is no proper idol and the priest does not wear a sacred thread (Poonool).
The temple is very much like the Oachira Parabrahma Temple. The temple has no compound walls and roofs. This is one the few temples in Kerala where a large number of festivals are being conducted. The temple is one of the Idathaavalam of Sabarimala Dharma Sastha Temples. The temple has mainly 13 karakal,who conduct the annual Sivarathri Festival. This is the biggest Nandikesha (ox vehicle of Lord Siva) kettulsavam in Kerala. It is one of the few temples in Kerala, where a large number of festivals are conducted.
Padanilam temple and its surroundings witnessed many historical wars . The origin of war was the border conflict between two erstwhile kingdoms, northern and southern. The people in the area sided with the two kingdoms and continued the war for decades. One side consisted of 'Noorukodi Unnithans' and 'Kadackal Karuppans' and the other side 'Vettathasaans' and 'Velladickal Karuppans'.
Sivarathri is the main festival in the temple. Thousands come to the temple on that day to see the kaavadiyattam for Lord Subrahmanyan in the morning. On that evening there is a kettulsavam, which is the most spectacular sight of the festival. Kettulsavam from 13 distinct areas of the village come to the temple at around 4 p.m. The rituals and programmes only end at midnight.
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