The Vazhappally Maha Siva Temple stands in Vazhappally, near Changanassery in the Kottayam district of Kerala. It is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva, with shrines to Parvati and Ganesha. It is administered by the Travancore Devaswom Board. Tradition says Parasurama installed the Shiva idol, and the temple was rebuilt around 820 AD, attributed to the Chera king Cheraman Perumal.
The building is in the Kerala style and has two nalambalams and two flag-masts, which is rare in the state. It has wood carvings of epic figures from the seventeenth century, and repairs were completed in 1665, according to an inscription.
The Vazhappally copper plate, dated to the early ninth century, is the earliest known Malayalam inscription. Festivals here include Painkuni, Shiva Ratri and Vinayak Chaturthi.
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