Settlement Type: | Village |
Pushpin Map: | India Kerala#India |
Pushpin Label Position: | right |
Pushpin Map Alt: | Kerala |
Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Kerala, India |
Coordinates: | 10.2923°N 76.1653°W |
Subdivision Type: | Country |
Subdivision Name: | India |
Subdivision Type1: | State |
Subdivision Name1: | Kerala |
Subdivision Type2: | District |
Subdivision Name2: | Thrissur |
Unit Pref: | Metric |
Population Density Km2: | auto |
Demographics Type1: | Languages |
Demographics1 Title1: | Official |
Demographics1 Info1: | Malayalam, English |
Timezone1: | IST |
Utc Offset1: | +5:30 |
Postal Code Type: | PIN |
Postal Code: | 680685 |
Registration Plate: | 47 |
Blank1 Name Sec1: | Coastline |
Blank1 Info Sec1: | 0km (00miles) |
Blank2 Name Sec1: | Nearest city |
Blank2 Info Sec1: | Kodungallur, Irinjalakkuda |
Blank1 Name Sec2: | Climate |
Blank2 Name Sec2: | Avg. summer temperature |
Blank2 Info Sec2: | 35°C |
Blank3 Name Sec2: | Avg. winter temperature |
Blank3 Info Sec2: | 20°C |
Mathilakam is a village in Kodungallur taluk, Thrissur district in Kerala, South India. It is located around 5 miles north of Kodungallur on National Highway 66. Its nearby localities include S.N Puram and Panangad. The place also resides near to Triprayar and Irinjalakuda routes.
Mathilakam is generally identified by historians as the location of the medieval Shiva temple, the Thirukkunavay Temple.[1] The shrine was also known as the Kunavayir Kottam, the monastery of Ilamko Atikal (the author of the Tamil epic Chilappathikaram). The temple has been highly eulogized in the Tamil Shaiva literature of Tevaram as early as the 7th century CE. The Tamil Nayanmar saint Sundarar is said to have visited the temple before attaining Moksha. Excavations were conducted by Archaeological Survey of India at Mathilakam in 1967.[2] In the excavations conducted in 1970, an 8th-9th century AD foundation, structurally different from the standard Hindu temple foundations in shape, was revealed.
Kerala State Archaeological Department conducted a field survey at Mathilakam in 2014. In 2020, the Archaeological Survey of India granted licence to a non-profit trust to undertake excavations in Mathilakam.[3] [4] The first phase of the excavations was started with the opening of six trial trenches. The trust completed the trial excavations at Mathilakam in 2020.