Udayanapuram is located near Vaikom, in Kerala. The temple is dedicated to Lord Subramanya (also called Muruga). It is closely associated with the Mahadevar temple in Vaikom. It is believed that prayers at the famed Vaikom Mahadevar temple are complete only after a visit to the Udayanapuram temple. Udayanapuram is also closely tied to the grand Ashtami celebrations at the Vaikom temple. Udayanapuram temple boasts of several beautiful carvings and paintings.
The most interesting of festivals at Udayanapuram Temple is the Vaikkathashtami (the ashtami at Vaikom). This day witnesses a grand procession of the idol of Lord Subramanya from Udayanapuram to Vaikom. Deities from the neighboring temples accompany this procession. The procession takes as much as three hours to reach Vaikom. It reaches Vaikom temple with the accompaniment of music, embellished by caparisoned elephants, where an image of Lord Shiva on a beautifully decorated elephant greets the procession. This meeting is followed by a farewell when Subramanya is taken back in procession to Udayanapuram. Thaipusam is an equally famous festival at this temple.
