Ayyappan, also called Dharmasastha and Manikandan, is a Hindu deity popular in Southern India. He is considered to be the epitome of dharma, truth, and righteousness and is often called upon to obliterate evil.
The Sabarimala Sree Ayyappan Temple is a Hindu temple complex located on the Sabarimala hill inside the Periyar Tiger Reserve, Ranni-Perunad Village, Ranni Taluk, Pathanamthitta district, Kerala, India. It is one of the largest annual pilgrimage sites in the world, with an estimate of over 10 to 15 million devotees visiting every year. The temple is dedicated to a Hindu Brahmachari (celibate) deity named Ayyappan also known as Dharma Shasta, who, according to one belief, is the son of Shiva and Vishnu. Sabarimala Temple exemplifies the convergence of diverse religions in India.
The Rajarajeshwara temple is a Shiva temple located in Taliparamba in Kannur district of Kerala State of India. The temple is regarded as one of the existing 108 ancient Shiva Temples of ancient Kerala. It also has a prominent place amongst the numerous Shiva temples in South India. It had the tallest shikhara amongst the temples of its time. The Rajarajeshwara temple has a top of about 90 tonnes. If any problem is encountered in the other temples of South India, devotees seek a solution in this temple through a prashnam, a traditional method of astrological decision-making. The prashnam is conducted on a peedha outside the temple.
Mammiyur Mahadeva Temple is a popular Shiva temple situated in Guruvayoor, Thrissur district of Kerala, India. Every devotee who goes to Guruvayur Temple is supposed to go to Mammiyoor also, as the ritual goes. Only Hindus are allowed inside the temple premises. The temple is a part of the 108 famous Shiva temples in Kerala and one among the five Shiva temples around Guruvayoor. The main deity is Lord Shiva, who is installed in the concept of 'Uma Maheshwara' - His form with Goddess Parvathi on his left. There is a shrine for Lord Vishnu also here. The sub-deities are Lord Ganapathi, Lord Subrahmanya, Lord Ayyappan, Goddess Kali and Serpent deities. This temple is managed by Malabar Devaswom Board. Daily three poojas are conducted. Puzhakkara Chennas Mana is the hereditary Thanthri of this temple too. Shivaratri and Ashtami Rohini are the major festivals.
Vavar, known reverently as Vavarswami, is a legendary figure from Kerala. He is the celebrated Muslim acquaintance of Hindu deity Ayappan. There is a shrine dedicated to Vavaraswami at Sabarimala, as well as Vavaraswami's mosque at Erumely opposite to an Ayyappan temple. This shows the religious and cultural harmony practised by Hindus and Muslims in Kerala.
Kadappattoor is a small village on the banks of Meenachil river near Pala in Kottayam district of Kerala. Kadappattoor, is located 30 km east of Kottayam. The village life is centered on the Shiva Kadappattoor Mahadeva Temple The population consists of Hindus and Christians.
Anandavalleeswaram Sri Mahadevar Temple in Kollam city is one of the ancient Hindu temples in Kerala, India. Lord Siva and Goddess Anandavally are the main deities of the temple. According to folklore, sage Parashurama has installed the idol of Lord Shiva. The temple is a part of the 108 famous Shiva temples in Kerala. It is located at Anandavalleeswaram, a major neighborhood of Kollam city, that comes to the west side of Kollam Collectorate.
Kadampuzha Devi Temple is a Hindu temple and pilgrimage center at Kadampuzha in Malappuram district, Kerala, India. The main deity of this temple is Goddess Parvati/Durga in the form of a huntress. There is no idol of Goddess in this temple, and she is worshipped in a pit. The presence of Lord Ganesha is also believed to be with the Goddess, and there are sub-shrines for Lord Sastha and serpent deities. A separate Shiva temple exists near the temple, called 'Madambiyarkavu'. Both these temples are under the control of Malabar Devaswom Board.
Trikkur Mahadeva Temple is a rock-cut cave temple in Trikkur village in Thrissur District in Kerala believed to have been built in the 7th or 8th century. Being a cave temple, Buddhist and Jain monks used the site to meditate alongside the Hindu monks. It is a protected monument under the Department of Archaeology, Govt of Kerala since 1966. The temple and its premises are now owned by Paliyam Trust which is managed by Kshetra Samrakshana Samiti.
Kuttumuck Siva Temple, the abode of Lord Kuttumuck Sree Mahadevan, is located about 5 km northeast of Thrissur. According to the legends, the idol worshipped here is more than 300 years old. But there are no historical records to establish it. The name 'Kuttumuck' is believed to have evolved from Kutti Muck.
Hinduism, Islam and Christianity are the prominent religions in Kollam district. As per the Census 2011, out of the total population of 2,635,375 persons, 64.42% follow Hinduism, 19.30% follow Islam and 16.00% follow Christianity. Other religions comprise 0.04%, while 0.25% did not state any religion.
Thirunakkara Mahadevar Temple situated in the heart of Kottayam city is one of the 108 revered Shivalayas in central Kerala, India. The temple is about 500 years old and was built by the Thekkumkoor raja. It also preserves a number of unique sculptures and murals of various Hindu deities. A common belief is that the idol of Shiva here is installed by sage Parashurama himself. The Thekkukkoor royal family considered the idol as their paradevatha in the form of "Thirunakkara thevar"
Chengannur Mahadeva Temple is a prominent Hindu temple, dedicated to Shiva and located in the town of Chengannur in the South Indian state of Kerala. The temple is one of the major Shiva temples in Kerala counted along with the Ettumanoor Mahadevar Temple, Kaduthruthy Mahadeva Temple, Vaikom Temple, Ernakulam Shiva Temple and Vadakkunathan temple. There are shrines for Ganesha, Dakshinamurthy, Subramanya, Sastha, Krishna, Nilagriva, Sthalisha, Hanuman, Ganga and Serpent deities inside and outside the temple complex.
Nilakkal, also spelled Nilackal, is an important base camp of Sabarimala pilgrims located in Ranni tehsil of Pathanamthitta district in the Indian state of Kerala. Sabarimala temple is located at a distance of 23 km (14 mi) from Nilakkal.
Kulathupuzha Sastha Temple is a Hindu temple located on the banks of Kulathupuzha river, a tributary of Kallada River. It is located in Kulathupuzha in Punalur taluk of Kollam district in the Indian state of Kerala. The presiding deity there is Lord Ayyappa in the form of Balasastha. It is also one among the pancha sastha shrines and one of the 108 Sastha shrines in Kerala. The idol there is believed to be installed by Lord Parashurama, and is made up of eight pieces of stones. The temple is constructed as per Kerala style of Temple Architecture.
Pandalam dynasty a royal dynasty emerged from a branch of Pandya kingdom. which existed in Kerala during the Kollam era. They came to Kerala fearing the assault of the Nayaks of Madurai. In Kerala they were given land and status by Kaipuzha Thampan of Nilambur Kovilakam a landlord who lived in Amanthur Palace at Kaipuzha from Kottayam Kerala. Today Pandalam is part of Pathanamthitta, Kerala, India.
Aryankavu Sastha Temple a Hindu temple and one among the 108 Sastha shrines in the Indian state of Kerala, but also borders the neighboring state of Tamil Nadu. The idol here is believed to be consecrated by sage Parashurama. It is also one among Pancha Sastha temples in Kerala located in the Punalur tehsil of Kollam district, in the eastern forest ranges.
Sree Krishna Swami Temple is a Hindu temple situated at the heart of Thodupuzha town in Idukki district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is located on the banks of Thodupuzhayar, a tributary of river Muvattupuzha. Lord Krishna presides there in the form of Navaneetha Krishna who holds butter in his right pam. The tantric rights of the temple is held by the Aramallur Kavanattu Mana. The Poojas are conducted by two mutts named as 'Padinjare mutt' and 'Thuruthel mutt'.
Sabarimala is a temple dedicated to Shasta in Pathanamthitta District, Kerala, India. Women and girls of reproductive age were traditionally not permitted to worship there, as Shasta is a celibate deity. A Kerala high court provided a legal justification for this tradition, and from 1991 on, women and girls were legally forbidden to enter the temple.
Cheranalloor Mahadeva Temple is an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva is situated on the banks of the Periyar river at Kalady of Ernakulam District in Kerala state in India. The Cheranalloor Mahadeva Temple is one of the important temples in Cochin Kingdom. According to folklore, sage Parashurama has installed the idol of Shiva in the Treta Yuga. The temple is a part of the 108 Shiva Temples in Kerala.
