Jam's Chronicle: Day 2: Kallil Bhagawati temple

"Will you show us around Ernakulam tomorrow?", I asked the cab driver while returning from the Marine Drive.

"Where do you want to go Sir?", he asked in reply to know if I have made any specific plans.

"Take us to Kallil Baghawati temple, Kaladi and Chalakudi", I answered. Kallil temple?, he gave us a surprised look, perhaps because its not a popular spot. "Ok Sir. But first, you please talk to our cab owner to book the cab for tomorrow", he said handing out his business card.

We returned to our guest house, had dinner (thanks to the groom's mom), placed the call to the cab owner and fixed the car to pick us up at 8.00AM next day, and retired to bed.

We got up at 6.30AM, took bath, packed and got ready by 7.30AM. While depositing the key at the reception, we enquired to find that breakfast is ready. We went to the restaurant and placed orders for aappam with kadalai curry and a cup of tea, for each.

Me and Winnie with the YMCA guest house manager.

By the time we finished having our breakfast, Jijo, the cab driver arrived with the cab that we booked the previous night. We thanked the guest house manager for his kind hospitality, kept our bags in the luggage compartment and got in to the car ready to head towards our first place, Kallil Baghawati temple.

Winnie, myself and Jijo (cab driver cum guide)

Kallil koil in local language means the temple made of rock. As the name implies, the Bhagawati (Devi) temple was carved in rocks during 8th or 9th century by Jain monks. In the perimeter, one can find a number of rocks in which our ancestors had tried their hand in giving shape to the rocks, some of them has written inscription too.