Karumadikuttan

Located in a small village Karumadi at a distance of 17 km from Ambalapuzha, in the district Alappuzha, Karumadikuttan is famous for its 3-feet large black granite statue of Lord Buddha. This place is a well-known Buddhist center in Alleppey and serves as a reminder of the remnants of Buddhist culture. This massive and stunning statue of Lord Buddha is set on the bank of Punnamada Lake at the backwaters and a shrine has been built surrounding the statue owing to its significance. The tranquility and holiness associated with this shrine are breathtaking. There are many tales that revolve around this striking statue and its shrine, which makes Karumadi a pilgrimage site of the Buddhist pilgrims. People from all across the country and abroad visit here to pay homage and seek blessings, as stories about its amazing healing properties have spread far and wide.

The major thing that grabs attention when one sees this statue for the first time that it is broken on its left side. And of course, there is lore that explains this phenomenon. Though the statue of Lord Buddha is in a meditative and peaceful stance, it was violently destroyed by a Mughal emperor to slow down the spread of Buddhism in Kerala. But some believe that the left part of the statue was destroyed by an elephant. This statue is now kept under the protection of the Archeological Survey of India. Famous monk Dalai Lama had also visited this place in around 1965.

History of Karumadikuttan:

Literally, Karumadikuttan means the boy or the little boy from Karumadi. The statue of Karumadikuttan is believed to be built somewhat between the 9th to 14th centuries. The history tells us that the statue remained abandoned for many years in a nearby stream named Karumady Thodu until it was discovered in 1930 by Sir Robert Bristov, a British engineer, who constructed the shrine to preserve the relic.

Near By Attractions of Karumadikuttan:

Some of the major attractions near Karumadikuttan are Pathiramanal, Alappuzha Beach, Vembanad, Krishnapuram palace, Alleppey Beach, Chettikulangara Devi Temple, Ambalapuzha Sri Krishna Temple, Vijaya Beach Park, etc. These wonderful places can be covered during a trip to Karumadikuttan.

Best Time to Visit Karumadikuttan:

The suitable time to visit Karumadikuttan in Alleppey is from October to February as the climate remains pleasant at that time.

How To Reach Karumadikuttan:

This place is located at a distance of less than 5 km from the center of Alleppey. Visitors can hire a private taxi or take auto-rickshaw conveniently from here to reach Karumadi. They can also enjoy a light trek to the village while exploring some of the marvels of nature in a totally different way.

By Train: The nearest railway station is in Ambalapuzha, which about 4 km away from Karumadikuttan. And the railway station in Alappuzha is about 17 km away from Karumadikuttan.

By Air: Cochin International Airport is about 101 km away from Karumadikuttan.

By Boat: Visitors can reach Karumadikuttan in half an hour by boat from Alappuzha. By this journey, one can get the added benefit of exploring the charm of backwaters of Alappuzha.

By Road: It will take half an hour to reach Karumadikuttan through NH 47 via Ambalapuzha.

Additional Information For Visitors:

The shrine remains closed on Monday and National Holidays. And the visiting time is in between 9.30 am to 4.30 am.