Crocodile Ghat

Crocodile Ghat or Muthala Kadavu is the place in Kalady where Sree Shankara took 'Manasa Sanyasam' or his vows of renunciation. Even from a young age, Shankara was spiritually inclined and wanted to take up sanyasa much against his mothers wishes. Once while Shankara was taking bath in the Periyar river one day, he was caught by a crocodile. Shankara demanded his mother Aryamba to permit him to take up sanyasam so that the crocodile will leave him. His mother was forced to give permission and then the crocodile released him immediately, and the ghat came to be known as Crocodile Ghat.