Nasimahamad.vitaniya at 22:25, 27 March 2026

2026-03-27T22:25:32Z

New page

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox Hindu temple
| name = Kulathupuzha Sastha Temple
| image = KulathupuzhaShastaTemple.jpg
| alt =
| caption = The temple in 2005
| map_type = India Kerala #India
| map_caption = Location in Kerala
| coordinates = {{coord|8|54|03|N|77|03|32|E|display=inline,title}}
| country = India
| state = [[Kerala]]
| district = [[Kollam district|Kollam]]
| location = [[Kulathupuzha]]
| elevation_m = 128
| deity = [[Shasta (deity)|Shasta]]
| festivals= * [[Utsavam]] in the [[Malayalam calendar|Malayalam month]] of {{Lang|ml|mēṭam}} (April{{En dash}}May)
* [[Vishu]] (April)
| architecture = [[Architecture of Kerala|Traditional Kerala style]]
| governing_body = [[Travancore Devaswom Board]]
|facade_direction=East}}

'''Kulathupuzha Sastha Temple''' is a [[Hindu temple]] dedicated to [[Shasta (deity)|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 Sastha Temple|Aryankavu]], [[Achankovil Sastha Temple|Achankovil]], [[Sabarimala Temple|Sabarimala]] and Kanthamala.<ref name=":2" /> The idol there is believed to have been installed by [[Parashurama]] and is made up of eight pieces of stone.<ref name=":2" /> The temple is known for the ''Meenoottu'' (fish feeding) offering.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rajappan |first=T. K. |date=15 November 2018 |title=കാട്ടിൽ മറഞ്ഞ കാന്തമല; അദ്ഭുതങ്ങളുടെ ആ അഞ്ച് ക്ഷേത്രം |url=https://www.manoramaonline.com/news/indepth/sabarimala-2018/specials/2018/11/15/sabarimala-kulathupuzha-aryankavu-achankovil-kaanthamala-temple-journey.html |access-date=5 October 2023 |website=ManoramaOnline |language=ml}}</ref> The temple is governed by the [[Travancore Devaswom Board]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kumar |first=R. Sanjeev |date=16 January 2019 |title=ശാസ്താവിന്റെ ആറ് വിശിഷ്ട ക്ഷേത്രങ്ങളും ദർശനഫലവും |url=https://www.manoramaonline.com/astrology/astro-news/2019/01/16/famous-shastha-temples.html |access-date=5 October 2023 |website=ManoramaOnline |language=ml}}</ref>

== Location ==
The temple is located in [[Kulathupuzha]] in the [[tehsil]] of [[Punalur]] in [[Kollam district]]. It is situated about {{Convert|64|km|abbr=on}} from [[Kollam]] on the banks of the Kulathupuzha River, a tributary of the [[Kallada River]].<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Infokerala Communications Pvt Ltd |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fCWmDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA9 |title=Kerala Tradition & Fascinating Destinations 2018 |date=31 August 2018 |publisher=Info Kerala Communications Pvt Ltd |isbn=9788193456743 |page=198 |language=en |chapter=Kollam}}</ref>

== Legend ==
According to the legend, the Kulathupuzha temple is one of the five Sastha temples founded by [[Parashurama]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ghosh |first=Debjani |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PWI1EAAAQBAJ |title=Life in Twilight |publisher=Kavya Publications |year=2021 |isbn=978-93-90707-53-9 |location=India |page=39 |language=en |chapter=18 Steps To Victory}}</ref> It is also believed that Sastha allowed a {{Lang|ml|Jala Kanyaka}} ([[mermaid]]), who had a lust for him, to live in the temple pond in the form of a fish.<ref name=":3" /> A common belief is that the temple was founded by the [[Raja]] of [[Pandalam dynasty|Pandalam]],<ref>{{Cite book |last=C. V. |first=Nidheesh |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-8t6EAAAQBAJ&pg=PA6 |title=Kerala Devaswom Board Previous Year Question Paper 2006 To 2022 |publisher=Nidheesh C. V. |page=131 |language=ml |chapter=Junior Health Inspector Grade II}}</ref> but the idol of Sastha was founded by a [[Brahmin]] from [[Kottarakkara]]. Earlier, the temple was in the possession of the king of Kottarakkara. It was later handed over to the [[Travancore Devaswom Board]]. The [[Tantra|tantric rights]] of the temple are held by the ''Kokkalathu Mutt''.

== Deities ==
The principal deity of the temple is [[Shasta (deity)|Shasta]]. He is in the form of ''Balasastha'' (child form) and is commonly known as ''Kulathupuzha Balakan''.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Pereira |first=Ignatius |date=18 December 2013 |title=The mountain trails of a divine legend |language=en-IN |newspaper=The Hindu |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/the-mountain-trails-of-a-divine-legend/article5473004.ece |access-date=2016-12-23 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> There is a popular song titled "Kulathupuzhayile Balakane" praising the deity of the temple. The deity here is in a fierce mood (''ugramūrti'') as well as in an auspicious mood (''mangalapradāyakan''). [[Shiva]], [[Yakshini|Yakshi]], [[Vishnu]], [[Ganesha]], Boothathan, [[Nāga]], and [[Karuppu Sami]] are the subordinate deities.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=http://m.dailyhunt.in/news/india/english/mytemple+english-epaper-engtemp/kulathupuzha+ayyappa+temple-newsid-59795605|title=Kulathupuzha Ayyappa Temple - MyTemple {{!}} DailyHunt|newspaper=DailyHunt|access-date=2016-12-23}}</ref>

== Offerings ==
The temple pond preserves a number of fish, as they are considered to be the favorites of Shasta. Devotees offer {{Lang|ml|Meenoottu}} (fish feeding) for healing the [[warts]] in the skin.<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 November 2020 |title=കൊടുങ്കാടിനുള്ളിൽ എവിടെയോ മറഞ്ഞ കിടക്കുന്ന അയ്യപ്പ ക്ഷേത്രം കാന്തമല; അസാധാരണ സവിശേഷതകളുമായി അഞ്ച് അയ്യപ്പ ക്ഷേത്രങ്ങൾ |url=https://janamtv.com/80314825/ |access-date=5 October 2023 |website=Janam TV |language=ml}}</ref> The fish are known as {{Lang|ml|Thirumakkal}} (divine children).<ref name=":3">{{Cite book |last=P. Ananthan |first=Anukumar |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zk96EAAAQBAJ |title=Manimandapavum Thankadwajavum |date=11 July 2022 |publisher=Blue Rose Publishers |location=India |pages=19 |language=ml |script-chapter=ml:ശ്രീധർമ്മശാസ്താവ് |trans-chapter=Sree Dharmasastha}}</ref> Most of them belong to the species [[Tor khudree]] and [[Hypselobarbus thomassi]], which are at risk of extinction.<ref>{{Cite web|title=India Biodiversity Portal|url=https://indiabiodiversity.org/document/show/699|access-date=2021-10-16|website=India Biodiversity Portal|language=en}}</ref> Fishing is also strictly prohibited here.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://sabarimalaayyappa.org/php/sastha_temples.php|title=Welcome to Sabarimalaayyappa.org|website=sabarimalaayyappa.org|access-date=2016-12-22|archive-date=5 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170505152649/http://sabarimalaayyappa.org/php/sastha_temples.php|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== See also ==

* [[List of Hindu temples in Kerala]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Hindu temples in Kollam district]]
[[Category:Ayyappan temples]]

Kulathupuzha Sastha Temple - Revision history

Nasimahamad.vitaniya at 22:25, 27 March 2026