Oorpazhachi Kavu

Sree Oorpazhachi Kavu is a prominent Hindu temple in the Edakkad grama panchayat, a grama panchayats in Kannur District of Kerala state in southern India.

Sree Oorpazhachi Kavu (ooril pazhakiya eachil kavu or ooril pazhakiya achi kavu). The name of this temple renders itself to two etymological interpretations. The former meaning pazhakiya (ancient) kavu (grove) surrounded by Eachil (a herb) and the latter meaning pazhakiya (ancient) achi (mother goddess) kavu (grove). Irrespective of what may be the more authentic interpretation for Oorpazachi Kavu, it is the presence of this temple at Edakkad that imparts historical significance to the area.

The Sree Oorpazhachi Kavu temple has three main deities namely, Bhagavathy, Sree Oorpazhachi Daivathar and Kiratha sunu (Vettakkorumakan) within the inner courtyard (naalambalam), lending itself the rare significance of Shaiva - Vaishnava - Shaktheya sanctums within a single temple enclave. Apart from this, a shrine of Thondachan is present at the upper citadel (Mele Kottam). There are several legends associated with the temple at the deities.

The deity of Bhagavathy represents Mother Goddess. The legend associated with the Bhagavathy at Sree Oorpazhachi Kavu is related to how Kali (the dark complexioned Goddess Parvathi) became Gauri (the fair complexioned Goddess parvathi).

Legend has it that once Lord Shiva repeatedly addressed Goddess Parvathi as Kali to an extent that she inferred it to be a taunt at her dark complexion. Feeling insulted, sad and angered she said, “Wounds from arrows can heal and axed trees can regrow during the rain but a heart broken by impolite words cannot be made”. After promising herself that she will rejoin her husband only after attaining a fair complexion, Goddess Parvathi departed her husband’s abode for Madhya adavi to perform penance. Standing single legged in between Shaabara trees, she performed hard meditative penance for a hundred years with the sole objective of attaining a fair complexion. Pleased with her penance, Lord Brahma granted her the colour of a lotus tendril (gaura varnam) and thenceforth became Gauri. It is to be remembered in this context that Sree Oorpazhachi Kavu till recent past was in possession of a nearby vast area of land called Malikaparambu (thought to be a corruption of the word Kalikaparambu or Kali’s land).

...
Wikipedia