Thirunelli Temple (also Tirunelli, Malayalam: തിരുനെല്ലി ക്ഷേത്രം) is an historical temple devoted to Lord Maha Vishnu at the side of Brahmagiri hill in Kerala, close to the border with Karnataka nation. The temple is at an altitude of about 900m in north Wayanad in a valley surrounded by means of mountains and exquisite forests. It’s miles 32 km faraway from Manathavady.

No proper statistics of the exact dates of established order of temple exist, although it’s miles past dispute, that Thirunelli became as soon as an important metropolis and pilgrim center in the center of an inaccessible jungle valley surrounded by mountains on four facets . There exists documentary evidence that Thirunelli on the time of Chera king Bhaskara Ravi Varma I (962–1019 CE) turned into an important metropolis and pilgrim middle in South India. Inside the dense jungles surrounding temple, the ruins of historic villages may be determined. Stated historian V. R. Parameswaran Pillai in his e book Thirunelli files states that this temple changed into as soon as an imperative part of the early recorded records of Kerala.

The name Thirunelli derives from the nelli, the Tamil/Malayalam phrase for Indian gooseberry of the Amla tree. Veda vyasa wrote the 18 current Puranas. The Matsya Purana, Skanda Purana, Narasimha Purana, Padma Purana, and many different Puranas and Hindu texts mention the beautiful Vishnu temple as being built by using Lord Brahma, positioned within the picturesque Sahya valley, deep in the middle of forest of unmatchable splendor, and in these texts, it is referred to as “Sahyamalaka Kshetra.”consistent with way of life, Lord Brahma become visiting round the Universe on his hamsa, while he have become attracted by way of the splendor of the place now known as Brahmagiri Hill. Descending on that spot, Brahma observed an idol, set in an Amla tree. Brahma recognized the idol as Lord Vishnu Himself and the area as Vaikuntha (Vishnuloka) itself.With the assist of the Devas, Brahma hooked up the idol and called it Sahyamalak Kshetra. At Brahma’s request Vishnu promised that the waters of the location would wash away all sins. (for this reason, the spring and river close to the temple is known as Papanasini: “washes away all sins”).

Even today the top priest of the temple leaves a part of the worship materials inside the notion that Lord Brahma Himself will come and perform pooja rites deep in the holy hours of morning. The famous incarnation of Lord Vishnu Parasurama is reputed to have visited Thirunelli and finished ultimate rites of his father sage Jamadagni. He also took immersion inside the Papanasini to wipe away sins dedicated in killing Kshatriyas.