Ettumanoor Mahadevar Temple is an ancient temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple is located in Ettumanoor town in the Kottayam district of Kerala. Tourists and devotees from far and wide come to this temple. According to the legend, the Pandavas and the sage Vyasa had worshiped at this temple. This ancient temple was reconstructed in 1542 AD.
The exteriors and interiors of Ettumanoor Mahadevar Temple are very beautiful. There is a fortress around the temple, which is also an attraction. The walls of the temple are decorated with the beautiful Dravidian mural paintings. The most notable is the fresco of Pradosha Nritham ( Dance of Lord Shiva). The complex of the temple also houses a golden flag staff. The roofs of the temple are covered with copper sheets and the tops of the roofs are beautifully adorned. According to the legend the great sage Sankaracharya wrote ' Soundaraya Lahari' in this temple only.
The temple serves as a venue for the wonderful Arattu festival, which is celebrated with great joy in February/ March every year. The festival is celebrated for 10 days and on the 8th and the 10th day of the festival, seven and half elephants made of gold are displayed for public view.