Ayyappan, also known as Dharmasastha and Manikandan, is the Hindu deity of truth and righteousness. His worship is more prevalant in South India. Although devotion to Ayyappan has been prevalent earlier, his popularity rose in the late 20th century. According to Hindu theology, he is the son of Vishnu in the form of Mohini and Shiva thus representing a bridge between Shaivism and Vaishnavism.
The Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha Temple is a Hindu temple that is devoted to the worship of a deity named Ayyappan, also known as Dharma Shasta. Ayyappan is believed to be the son of Shiva and Mohini. The temple is situated atop a hill in the village of Ranni-Perunad, within the Ranni Taluk of the Pathanamthitta district in the state of Kerala, India. The temple is surrounded by 18 hills in the Periyar Tiger Reserve. 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.
Azhakodi Devi Temple or Azhakodi Devi Mahakshethram is a Hindu temple located in Thiruthiyad, Kozhikode District, Kerala, South India. It is one of the famous Devi temples, situated hardly 1.5 km away from the Mofussil Bus stand and 2.5 km from the KSRTC Bus stand, the area still retains the beauty and charm of un-spoilt rural settings within the heart of the Kozhikode city. The temple and the Kalayana Mandapom are administered by the Malabar Devaswom Board.
Achankovil is a 128 km (80 mi) long west flowing river in Kerala, India. It flows through the districts of Kollam, Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha. The river drains vast tract of fertile plains of Upper Kuttanad in the Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta districts. It also sustains numerous urban settlements along its course such as Konni, Pathanamthitta, Pandalam and Mavelikkara.
Alathiyur Hanuman Temple, also known as Alathiyur Perumthrikkovil or Hanuman Kavu is a famous Hindu temple located between the Ponnani River and the Bharathappuzha at Alathiyur near Tirur, Malappuram district, Kerala state, India. Although the main deity is Rama, the seventh avatar of Vishnu, Hanuman, believed to be an incarnation of Shiva and a devotee of Rama and a Chiranjivi, is as famous as the main deity in the temple. Also reside in the temple as sub-deities of equal importance: Lakshmana, Ganesha, Maha Vishnu, Durga, Bhadrakali, Ayyappan, and Naga deities. According to legend, the idol of Hanuman was consecrated 3000 years ago by Sage Vasishtha, one of the Saptarishis. Over the years, the custodians of the temple were the Alathiyur village Nambudiri Clan, the King of Vettathunad, and the Samuthiri of Kozhikode. Aval is the main offering in this temple. The main annual event here is the festival held on the days corresponding with the Stars of of Pooradam, Uthradam and Thiruvonam in the month of Thulam corresponding to mid-October to mid-November. The month of Karkidakam, corresponding to mid-July and mid-August, popularly called the Ramayana month, is usually crowded. The weekdays of Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday are also important as they are considered auspicious for Hanuman. The temple is administered by a Trust under the Malabar Devaswom Board, with the Samuthiri royalty as the Chief Trustee. This is believed to be the most important temple among the temples under the administration of the Malabar Devaswom Board.
Cherpu is a suburb of Thrissur city in the Kerala State of South India. It is 12 kilometres south of Thrissur town and is on the Thriprayar road. It is dotted by a number of temples and has quite a few rivers flowing by its vicinity.
A Nagaraja is a king of the various races of the nāga, the divine or semi-divine, half-human, half-serpent beings that reside in the netherworld (Patala), and can occasionally take human form. Rituals devoted to these supernatural beings have been taking place throughout South Asia for at least two thousand years.
Shasta is a Hindu deity origin, usually associated with Shiva and Vishnu. In Hindu mythology, Shasta is considered to be another name of Ayyappan, described as the offspring of Shiva and Mohini. His principal function is to act as a kuladevata of a given clan, as well as act as a guardian of a village's boundaries. In South India, he is identified with the Ayyanar in Tamil Nadu and the Ayyappan in Kerala.
Sree Andalurkavu is a very ancient and famous and prominent Thiyya Community Urayima temple in Andalur in Dharmadam village of Kannur district, Kerala, India. It counts among the Abhimana Kshethras of Vaishnavite Shrines. This ancient temple is in the name of Lord Rama and the main festival is celebrated in mid-February: the first week of the month "Kumbam" of the Malayalam calendar. This Kavu also has a story of how the Kalaripayat warrior Thacholi Othenan, who once caused trouble in this Thiyar-dominated Kavu Andalur of Thalassery, was punished and defeated by the Thiyars and crossed the country through the bridge.
Shri Dharma Sastha temple is a Hindu temple located at the village Sasthamkotta, Kerala, India. It is surrounded three sides by the largest fresh water lake of Kerala, Sasthamkotta lake.
Vishnumoorthy Theyyam is a Thiyya community temple ritual form of dance worship in Kerala and Karnataka, India. Theyyam consisted of several thousand-year-old traditions, rituals and customs. The performance includes complicated rites and rituals. The peculiar drum-beats can be heard up to a distance of 2 km from where the performance of the Vishnumoorthi Theyyam takes place. The enactment involving the Narasimha Avatar of Lord Vishnu by the Koladhari especially thrills the devotees and the spectators as a result of the body movements involved in it.
Sakthikulangara is a zone and neighbourhood situated at the coastal area of the city of Kollam in Kerala India. It is one among the 6 zonal headquarters of Kollam Municipal Corporation.
Manakkattu Devi Temple is a temple in Kerala. The temple is located at Pallippad in Karthikappalli taluk of Alappuzha district in the south Indian state Kerala. It is situated about 4 km east of Harippad on Nangiarkulangara Mavelikkara road. It comes under four NSS Karayogams
Sree Dharma Sastha Temple is situated at Thycaud in Thiruvananthapuram City near to Govt. Model School and Govt. Arts College, Kerala, India. This ancient Hindu temple is dedicated to Lord Dharma Sastha. The distance from the temple to Thiruvananthapuram International Airport is 8 km and to the Central Railway Station and Bus Station is 1.5 km. The temple is administered by Nair Service Society.
Andoor Kandan Sree Dharma Sastha Temple is one of the renowned Sastha Temples in south Kerala. It is situated 13 km east of Neyyattinkara i.e. 32 km south-east of Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The God Kandan Sree Dharma Sastha is the main deity of this temple. It is considered to be one of the rarest temples in Kerala having the God Sastha facing the west.
Kilimarathukavu Siva Parvathy Temple is a Hindu temple located in Kadakkal, Kollam, Kerala, India. It contains the largest cult image of 'Dharma Sastha', an epithet of Ayyappan.
Kulathupuzha Sastha Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shasta, located in Kulathupuzha in the Kollam district of Kerala, India. It is one of the five important Sastha temples in Kerala, the others being Aryankavu, Achankovil, Sabarimala and Kanthamala. The idol there is believed to have been installed by Parashurama and is made up of eight pieces of stone. The temple is known for the Meenoottu offering. The temple is governed by the Travancore Devaswom Board.
The town of Muvattupuzha in Kerala, India contains places of worship for Hindus, Syrian Christians and Mappila Muslims.
The Aryankavu Sastha Temple is a Hindu temple located in Aryankavu in the Kollam district of the Indian state of Kerala. It is one of the five major temples dedicated to Shasta in Kerala, the others being Kulathupuzha, Achankovil, Sabarimala and Kanthamala. The temple's idol is believed to have been consecrated by Parashurama. The temple is governed by the Travancore Devaswom Board.
Avanangattilkalari Sree Vishnumaya Temple is a Hindu temple at Peringottukara, Thrissur District, Kerala state, India. It is dedicated to the god Vishnumaya in Kerala. The god is known also by the names Chathan.
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