Sarkaradevi Temple is one of the most important temples in south india. It is situated South of the Chirayinkil Taluk (It is situated in the North-West of Trivandrum District.) Tradition accords a remote antiquity to this temple. Its main deity is Bhadrakali. The sarkaradevi Temple assumed a significant status many reasons and rose to historical importance mainly with the introduction of the famous Kaliyoot festival by Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma, the travancore sovereign, in 1748( Nalankala Krishna Pilla, Keralathile Kshetrangal(malayalam)(Trivandrum : 1997),P.101.

    Chirayinkil Taluk being directly under the immediate administration of the attingal Swarupam, the Attingal Ranis where entrusted by the Travancore Raja with the conduct of the elaborate festival of Kaliyoot. The Attingal Rani being related to the Travandcore royal family through adoption from the Kolathunad royal family (Gauri Lekshmi Bai, Sree Padmanabha SwamyTemple, (Bombay: 1995) p. 66.). From the time of Venad Kings, had enjoyed independent rights in several respects over the neighbouring regions and temples and at times even over the entire Venad (K.Sivasankaran Nair, Venadinte Parinamam(Malayalam)Trivandrum 1993, p.123.).Even the King Marthanda Varma annexed Attingal to Travancore, (Soon after ascending the throne Marthanda Varma decided to assume direct control over Attingal 'estate' for details see K.Sivasankaran Nair, op.cit.p.152-153). The Ranis seem to have been allowed to continue in their independent status in meny respects. Hence it was no wonder that when the former decided to introduce Kaliyoot festival in the Sarkaradevi Temple of Chirayinkil Division, he entrusted the responsibility to the Attingal Ranis, eventhough the finances came directly from the Travancore royal treasury.

    The Attingal Ranis in the turn bestowed the members of the military family of Ponnora Panickers (When two princesses were adopted from Kolathunad, some senior members of the ponnara family are said to have accompanied them as bodyguards to attingal where the former were settled by the Venad Kings. The descendents of the family are still residing there.) with the responsibility of supervising the grand festival. Even now the responsibility is continuing with the descendents of the ponnara family. One of the most important peculiarities of this temple is that it is the only temple in South Kerala where such elaborate Kaliyoot festival is conducted. Another festival which makes the temple the center of attraction is the Meenabharani mahotswavam which is conducted for ten days in the month of March-April every year.