Kaviyur Shiva Temple
Kaviyur is a small village about 5-6 km from the town of Thiruvalla reachable by road and rail. The Shiva temple here is about 100 years old. The architecture of the temple is quite unique. The Shiva in this temple is not a swayambhu.
There is a story about its consecration. It seems Lord Rama on his way back to Ayodhya from Sri Lanka, wanted to build a Shiva temple here and so he entrusted the job of getting a good Shiva Linga idol to Hanuman. Hanuman who was proud of his prowess was however late in completing his task and returning, by which time the auspicious time (muhurtha) was passing away. Hence Lord Rama took a stone from the near by mountain, shaped a Shiva Linga out of it and had it consecrated here. When Hanuman returned, the consecration was already over which made him terribly disappointed and he realized then that his power was not his, but only due to Lord Rama. Lord Rama then asked Hanuman to do Thapas here for some time. Obeying his words, after the pattabhisheka of Lord Rama, Hanuman spent some time here. Then it was called Kapiyoor (village of monkeys). Later, over time the name became Kaviyoor which translates as the village of poets. A similar story is told about the Shiva Linga of Rameswaram temple, except, that it was Sita who fashioned the Linga out of sand and after coming with a Linga from Kasi, Hanuman tried to break it unsuccessfully.
The Hanuman temple inside the Shiva temple is considered as very auspicious by devotees. Hanuman idol consecrated here is made of Panchaloha and is depicting him telling the story of Ramayana to Sita in the Asoka Vana. People believe that by doing 'Pandhirunazhi' in this temple and by offering beaten rice to Lord Hanuman, their wishes would be completely fulfilled.
There is a ten day festival starting with thiruvadira in the Shiva temple and Hanuman Jayanthi(Moolam of Dhanu month-November-december)) is celebrated in the Hanuman temple.