TODAKUKKINAR
Kanandur,a village near Ullal is famous for its shrine of Todakukkinar, a raajan daiva supposed to be an incarnation of Lord Shiva. The spirit is also known as Dharmarasu Vidyanatha. After a miraculous birth in Kanchi Kadnaga place,Vaidyanatha sat incognito on the back of a he-buffalo and came down to visit the kingdoms of Tulnad. At Kanandur a Brahmin of Poyyettaya family purchased to the buffalo and tied it to a mango tree by the side of a brook and went away for prayer. When he returned he could not find the buffalo. A servant got possessed by the spirit. Poyyettaya came to know of the arrival of the new spirit and constructed a shrine for it. Since the buffalo disappeared when tied to a mango tree near a brook (toodu- brook, Kukku- mango) the spirit came to be designated as toodakukkinaar. The spirit then wanted a sea-bath at the western coast and the sister spirit Ullalthi also wanted to accompany him. They both came to the sea-shore and Ullalthi stayed there by getting a shrine constructed there by the devotees.
During the annual Koola of Kanandur the impersonator wears a special king of head dress which is triangular in shape. A special arrow known as todambu is noticed among the ritual objects. A ceremonious sword-fighting takes place. The replicas of buffalo are offered by the devotees as per their vow.