Chadayamangalam is well noticed for newly constructed Jatayu Earth’s Center, which is a tourism centre in the town with the world’s largest bird sculpture.

The conquest of Ay Kingdom in 765 CE by Pandya king Jatila Paranthaka/Nedum Chadayan Varaguna I (r. 765–815 AD) and sack of port Vizhinjam by defeating the Vel chieftain (the Vel Mannan, who might have been related to the Ay family) possession of the Ay-Vel country ("the fertile country along with its magnificent treasures") (Madras Museum Plates of Jatila Parantaka, 17th year).

This ambiguity is further strengthened as it was time of Pandyan conquest into the Ay kingdom (Pandyans continued to occupy the southern portions around Vizinjam till the next century while northern portions detached away to form Venad[11]) and the closest town to Chadayamangalam is Ayur, which loosely translates to the town/village/place of the Ay in colloquial Malayalam and Tamil.

Chadayamangalam shares this origin myth with two other places in India, Lepakshi in Andhra Pradesh and Vijayaraghava Perumal temple in Tamil Nadu.

Chadayamangalam consists of the Kodandarama temple at the peak of Jadayu para (more commonly called Mellupara) placed 1000 feet above the sea level.

The associated story in the temple premises include presence of “Kokkarani” (water tank), Jadayu created by rubbing the rock with his beak.

As the time has come for the bird to leave his body after hearing narrative of Sitaapaharan, Lord Ram is believed to have performed the last rites of Jadayu.

[14] This site of footprint and the source of water sprinkling out at the top of the rocky mountain throughout the year is revered by devotees coming to the temple.