Kunnathoor Padi

Kunnathur Padi is a village in Kannur district, Kerala, India and is the historic center for the folk Hindu deity Sree Muthappan. The center stands in Payyavoor Grama Panchayat, Kannur District of the Kerala state of India. It is located 3,000 feet above sea level on top of Udumbumala in the Sahyadri mountains. The region belonged to the Mannanar dynasty during the line of Muttappan. Kunnathoorpadi was under the Kunnummal Idathil Thiyyar, who were under the Mannanar, from whom the name Kunnathoorpadi originated.

In 1902, the last Mannanar king of the dynasty Kunhikelappan Mannanar was killed, after which the British government seized the dynasty's lands. Subsequently, Karakkatidam Nayanar obtained the right to collect taxes by placing gold as security in temples and securing authorization from the British fort at Thalassery to collect taxes in that region.

Thereafter, Kunnathoorpadi being a devotional place under the Mannanar came under the management of Karakkatidam Nayanar, who were responsible for tax collection. After independence, Karakkatidam Nayanar also attempted to seize the Parassinikkadavu Muthappan Madapura, claiming ownership on the basis that they had collected taxes for the British in the region and therefore had rights over the Madapura. However, the Parassinikkadavu family approached the court, which ruled that the claims of Karakkatidam Nayanar were baseless.

Kunnathoorpadi, associated with the Mannanar and the Kunnummal Idathil Thiyyar, is a sacred site without permanent construction, located in a forested area. While the management of the Madapura by Karakkatidam Nayanar was not questioned for a long period due to the absence of the original custodians, these baseless claims have now begun to be questioned by the public.

The Kunnathur Padi festival is conducted there, although there is no temple for Sree Muthappan. The festival is held in a natural setting since it is believed that Sree Muthappan said that "Fallen leaves, a spring, a large mountain, a round stone, forest and palm trees are enough for me."