Kadunthuruthy Maha Deva Kshethram
This is a place between Vaikom and Ettumanur and is very near to the Vemba-Nad back waters of Kerala. The name might have derived from “Kadal thuruthi (isthmus by sea). But it is believed that an asura called Khara after penance, received three holy Lingas from Lord Shiva. He received one each in his hands and the third was held in his mouth. He consecrated all these three Lingas in Kerala with the Linga which was carried in his mouth between his teeth, being consecrated in this temple. "Kadichu-iruthi" in Malayalam means placing a thing with teeth. This must have been how the name came by. The present temple is on a hill top and faces east. The temple is under the administration of Travancore Devaswam board. The other two lingams which are smaller are believed to be consecrated by Khara in Vaikom and Ettumanur.
Legends say that when once this temple caught fire, the priest simply embraced the idol and died in the fire rather than allow it to be burnt. His statue is also consecrated in the temple. Apart from his statue, the idols of Yakshi, Durga and Ganapathi are also found inside the temple.
There is a belief that if one can prostrate all the three idols at Kaduthurthi, Ettumanur and Vaikom on the same day, it would lead to fulfillment of all our wishes. One Vadakkum koor King who was a devotee used to do that till he became very old. Later, when he was not able to do that, he consecrated God of Ethumanur in the southern gate and Lord of Vaikom in the northern gate. It is believed that if we visit Kaduthuruthi we will get the benefit of visiting all the three shrines.
There is a festival of ten days in this temple. It does not have the grandeur of the festivals of Vaikom and Ettumanur. Since several Namboodiri villages were surrounding this temple, this temple was classified as a Thali temple.