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Kandiyoor Sree Mahadeva Temple is an ancient Shiva temple situated in Kandiyoor near Mavelikkara on the banks of Achankovil river. Kandiyoor was once the capital of the Odanadu kingdom.

There are many legends associated with the temple. It is considered as one among the 108 great Shiva temples of ancient Kerala consecrated by Lord Parashurama himself. according to another legend the Rishi Mrikandu, the father of Rishi Markandeya got an idol of Lord Shiva in Kirathamoorthy form while bathing in Ganga. He heard an oracle that the idol be placed in a holy and befitting place. The Rishi searching for the apt location came to Kerala and ended up in the bank of Achankovil and established the temple in Kandiyoor. The name Kandiyoor is a corruption of Kandathil.

According to another legend the temple is located at the site where Lord Shiva cut off Lord Brahma's head. The name Kandiyoor comes from name of Shiva Sri Kantan. It is believed that Lord Parasurama renovated the temple and gave tanthrik rights to Tharananallur family.

The primary deity of the temple is Lord Shiva known as Kandiyoorappan (the ruling deity of Kandiyoor). The deity is east facing. The sanctum santorum is two-tiered and there is a platform in the front for devotees, a feature that is of the Hoysala style. The bottom tier is oval in shape while the top tier is rectangular. The 10 feet (3.0 m) Gajaprishta style wall is believed to be constructed by Shiva's Bhothaganas. There are puranic legend stone scriptures in the temple.

The primary deity, Kandiyoorappan, is believed to be in kirathamoorthy form. The deity worshipped as Dakshinamoorthy in the morning, Umamaheshwaran in the noon, Kirathamoorthy in the evening. Deity is worshipped as Panchmukha from South-West corner of Pradakshina Vazhy by viewing five Thazikakudams of Shiva temples and as Vaikatappan(ruling deity of Vaikom) during sunset. The sub-deities in the temple include Vishnu, Parvatheesan, Nagaraja and Nagayakshi, Gosala Krishnan, Sastha, Sankaran, Sreekandan, Vadakkumnathan, Annapoomeswary, Ganapathy, Subramanyan, Moola Ganapathy and Brahma Rakshas of which Sankara, Sreekanda, Vadakkumnadha, Parvatheesa and Mrityunjayaare Shiva himself. There are six Shivalinga Prathishtas in this temple.