Kalady
Where Adi Shankara was born, beside the Periyar
A Kalady tour visits Adi Shankara's birthplace on the Periyar in Ernakulam: Sringeri shrines, Crocodile Ghat and an eight-storey memorial near Kochi airport.
Overview
Kalady is a village on the east bank of the Periyar in Ernakulam district, between Angamaly and Perumbavoor, and it is known as the birthplace of the philosopher Adi Shankara, traditionally dated to 788. Pilgrims and visitors drawn by Indian philosophy come here, and the busiest weeks fall around Shankara Jayanti in April or May, when a five-day celebration is held.
The name means "footprint" in Malayalam, and the place was once called Sasalam. Its identity as Shankara's home was recovered in the early twentieth century by the head of the Sringeri monastery, with help from the Travancore Maharaja. The Sringeri complex now holds two temples, one for the goddess Sharadamba and one for Shankara, along with a shrine for Sakti Ganapati and the samadhi of Aryamba, his mother. Its consecration ceremony took place on 21 February 1910.
Other sites sit close to the river. The Krishna temple, the ancestral shrine of Shankara's family, stands beside his shrine. At Crocodile Ghat, called Muthala Kadavu, tradition says a crocodile seized the boy and would not release him until his mother agreed that he could take up renunciation. Visitors also come to the Adi Shankara Keerthi Sthamba Mandapam, an eight-storey memorial built by the Kanchi Kamakoti Math, which has a museum and library. Older Kerala-style temples in the surrounding area include the Nayathodu Sankara Narayana Temple and the Mattoor Thiru Vellaman Thulli Siva Temple.
Kalady is also a place of study. A Vedanta school was begun here in 1927, and the Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, whose foundation stone was laid in 1991, works from the village. Navaratri, held for nine days in September or October, and the Shankara Jayanthi festival are the occasions when pilgrims travel from further away.
The village lies close to Cochin International Airport, at roughly 5 to 10 km, and Angamaly is the nearest railway station, about 8 to 10 km off. Sites are spread over several kilometres and hotel choice in the village is limited, so many visitors stay in the Kochi area.
Known for
Traditionally dated to 788, on the Periyar's east bank
Happening soon
Updated Oct 7, 2026Coming up, dates to be confirmed
Shankara Jayanti at Kalady
festivalFive days of rituals, discourses and cultural programmes marking the birth anniversary of Adi Shankara at his birthplace in Kalady.
Usually April or May, on or around Vaishakha Shukla Panchami (21 April in 2026). No 2027 dates found for Kalady.
Reach out to us for the confirmed datesQuick facts
Cochin International Airport (COK), about 5 to 10 km (sources differ)
Angamaly, about 8 to 10 km
Kalady lies between Angamaly and Perumbavoor. Local buses serve the village, and the main sites are spread over several kilometres. Drive times (to be supplied).
Plan around Shankara Jayanti (April or May) or Navaratri only if you want the festival atmosphere, and check the dates with the Sringeri Kalady office, as 2027 dates were not found
Start at the Sringeri shrines and walk to the Krishna temple and Crocodile Ghat, which lie close together on the river
Plan your stay in the Kochi area, as hotel choice in Kalady is limited
Location
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