Thrissur is one of the fourteen districts of Kerala in southwest India. It is the second largest city in Kerala and 20th largest city in India. At the center of the city is a temple, the Vadakkumnathan temple which has Lord Siva as its presiding deity. It is known as the cultural capital of Kerala because of the city's association with history, culture and archaeological remains. Thrissur was once the capital of the Kingdom of Cochin. It is located 300 kilometers (186 mi) towards north-west of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. It is famous for Thrissur Pooram which is a temple festival. Thrissur is also known as the “cultural capital of Kerala” as its well known for its cultural, spiritual and religious learnings throughout history. 