Cherupuzha, Kannur Overview

A hill station in Kannur, Kerala, Cherupuzha is a part of the Western Ghat mountain ranges in India. Because of the hillside location, this town is surrounded by nature and has dense forests towards the eastern side that borders the state of Karnataka. This is one of the many reasons tourists flock to this land to seek the remoteness and tranquility of nature.

Cherupuzha is well-connected to most of the famous cities such as Bangalore (326 km), Mangalore (121 km), Thiruvananthapuram (524 km), Ernakulam (332 km), and Kozhikode (150 km). Also, Cherupuzha is easily reachable via the east district of Kannur and Payannur. Cherupuzha and its neighboring towns were once ruled by royal lineages, such as the Kingdom of Mysore’s Tipu Sultan, Kolathunadu’s Chirakkal dynasty, and Ezhimala’s Mooshika dynasty. Later, it was taken over by the British Raj. Today, there are many attractions and activities that tourists can indulge in during their visit to Cherupuzha.

Cherupuzha Highlights

1. St. Mary's Forane Church

Situated near the eastern town of Kannur district in Iritty lies St. Mary’s Forane Church. This church is a famous pilgrim center for Marian and also one of the oldest churches in North Malabar (Read More)of Kerala. It falls under Thalassery’s archdiocese and is also the largest parish in it. The dome center and the dome-shaped architecture are one of the major highlights of this church.

2. Cherupuzha Shri Ayyappa Temple

Nestled on top of the hill, Cherupuzha Shri Ayyappa Temple is regarded as the Sabarimala of North Malabar in Kerala. Originated as Bhajan Madh, this temple organizes an annual temple Mahotsav usually (Read More)on 10-17 December or from 11th to 18th December. This fest brings the people of North Malabar together, not just on a devotional basis, but also for entertainment and temple arts.

3. Chathamangalam St. Jude's Chapel

Chathamangalam St. Jude's Chapel is set between the two hills namely, Alumbumala and Thevarkunnumala. The location or landscape of the chapel is what attracts tourists to visit this place.

4. Jerusalem Marthoma Church

Situated just a kilometer away from the city center, Jerusalem Marthoma Church was built in 1970 but claimed as a parish in 1974. The church, after its renovation in 2005, comprises a tailoring s (Read More)chool, Marthoma Nursery School, a rehab facility, and Thejus Child Development Centre.

5. Mulapra Sree Dharmasastha Temple

A popular pilgrim place for Hindus, Mulapra Sree Dharmasastha Temple came into existence in 2012. But before its inception, nearly over 100 years ago, the place where the temple is situated was once h (Read More)ome to a group of Swami’s who organized bhajans and chants during their visit to Sabarimala. Now, daily darshans are offered to the temple visitors.

6. Pulingome Makham

5km away from Cherupuzha lies Pulingome Makham, a religious center for Muslims. This pilgrim center was once visited by two holy men for religious propagation, nearly 1300 years ago, and is buried in (Read More)this location. An annual festival, Uroose, is celebrated here in March where thousands of people from all over the state and the neighboring states attend this festival.

7. Narambil Bhagavathy

Originating from the ‘Bhadrakali’ temple, also known as Rayaramangalam Temple in North Malabar of Kerala, Narambil Bhagavathy has several myths and origin stories behind it. This temple is (Read More) home to the Goddess who exudes raging anger against evil. A popular ritual dance worship called Theyyam was performed here too.

8. Rafting in Cherupuzha

Cherupuzha is one of the popular places for rafting on River Tejaswini, also known as Kariamkode. It originates from Coorg, from the hills of Brahmagiri, that flows through Karnataka, Kasargod, and Ka (Read More)nnur, before meeting the Arabian Sea. The river stretches to about 64km long, which makes this a perfect place for rafting. What makes this experience more memorable is the natural beauty of the river, as well the beauty that surrounds it, such as the thick foliage, rocky banks, huge trees, etc.
Best time to visit: September to November when the river is gushing with a strong force and current
Cost: An hour-long rafting activity would cost somewhere around 2,000 INR to 2,500 INR, whereas a half-hour would cost between 1,200 to 1,800 INR.
Operators: Palavayal White water river rafting, Xtreme Adventures

Read More on Cherupuzha

How to Reach Cherupuzha

  • Air: Kannur International Airport, located 70 km away, is the nearest airport, and the airports in Calicut and Mangalore aren’t far away either. All of these airports are international, but direct flights are only accessible to Middle Eastern countries. 
  • Rail: Travelers visiting Cherupuzha can access the town easily via train as the nearest railway station is in Payyanur, which is just 34km from this hillside town. Also, there are multiple direct trains available from Bangalore, Mumbai, Mangalore, Delhi, Thiruvananthapuram, and many other parts of India. 
  • Road: Cherpuzha is connected by 2 highways: Kerala Hill Highway and the National Highway. The former goes through Cherupuzha that connects the eastern side — Bangalore, Iritty, and Mysore; whereas the latter passes through the Perumba junction that connects to Goa, Cochin, Mumbai, and Thiruvananthapuram. Along with this, there are three main roads here: Cherupuzha - Alakode, Cherupuzha-Thirumeni- Muthuvom, and Cherupuzha-Payyanur.

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