Kodungallur is a historically significant town situated on the banks of the Periyar River along the Malabar Coast. Located in the Thrissur district of Kerala, India, it sits approximately 36 kilometres north of Kochi via National Highway 66 and 38 kilometres from Thrissur.
The town served as a strategic port city at the northern end of the Kerala lagoons, providing an entry point for naval fleets into the extensive backwaters. It is recognized as a notable early interfaith center, associated with the arrival of Christian, Muslim, and Jewish communities in India, as well as an early Buddhist presence in South India. The area also maintains longstanding Shaiva, Vaishnava, and Shakta traditions.