Have you noticed that, in certain places in Cancún, the Riviera Maya, and Yucatán, there are very small mayan temples built for no apparent reason? Here’s the story.
The aluxes are a type of goblin or spirit that appears in Mayan legends as guardians of nature, especially of the jungles, cenotes, and crops. They intervene in human affairs, sometimes benevolently and sometimes mischievously. For example, if the aluxes believe their territory has been invaded or damaged, with the construction of a building, for example, they are capable of causing harm, and to prevent this, a small temple must be built on the site.
This temple is called kahtal alux, which in Mayan means “house of the alux.” It must be made of local stone and must face the four cardinal points. It is said that during the construction of the Cancún International Airport interchange, the aluxes caused problems until a temple was built for them, which can be seen on the site, under the bridge on the Cancún – Playa del Carmen lane. Another kahtal alux can be seen at kilometer 4.5 of Kukulcán Boulevard in front of the Breathless Hotel.
