Peruvanam Mahadeva Temple
To the Malayalam speaking crowd, the name Peruvanam brings to mind the famed chenda artist Peruvanam Kuttan Maraar. The village, though small and quiet is not just home to the chenda maestro, but also to a series of mural paintings etched on the walls of Peruvanam Mahadeva temple.
The temple houses the deity of Shiva in two forms: Erattayappan and Madathilappan. The place is an architectural marvel with murals and ornate wooden sculptures adding to its beauty. The local belief lists this temple as one among 108 Shiva temples established by Parasurama.
The murals cover half the walls of Irattayappan sreekovil. The other half borne murals in the past but now rests under layers of white paint. The images do not form a narrative sequence. Most are non-narrative depictions of various gods separated from one another by pillars that project out of the walls. There are distinctive floral designs as well, that exists as fillers between panels. The images, particularly that of Mohini, are realistic unlike commonly found depictions. Almost all paintings are set against a red background, studded with mashipoov motifs. There are also veeralipattu designs as well.
