Chemmanthatta Mahadeva Temple
Located in a quiet corner of Thrissur district, Chemmanthitta Mahadeva temple remains a hidden treasure albeit being declared a protected monument. It might be because of its obscurity that the murals are not damaged by human factors like in Kadavil Thrikkovil Sreekrishna Swamy Temple, but only as a result of years of exposure to natural elements.
As one reaches the temple premises, they are struck by the beauty of the huge temple pond in front of it. There is also a gopuram without a ceiling at the entrance. Many locals believe that it was Tipu Sultan who brought down the ceiling of the temple during his invasions. The Shiva placed inside is in a roudra mood. According to local lore, this is because Shiva here is in mourning over the death of his first wife Sati and is angry at the world. Another lore connects Shiva's anger to the neglect of devotees. There once used to be a Narasimha temple next to this temple and people used to leave after visiting the Narasimha temple alone.
The temple is rich with murals depicting various deities including Sreerama, Sreekrishna, Durga and many more. There are a series of narrative panels depicting the story of Kiratharjuneeyam in full. Most of the panels however, are faded with plaster loss.
