There are Pancha Sastha temples -they are Sabarimala, Ponnambalamedu, Aryankavu and Kulathupuzha , Sabarimala is quite familiar to all. A suitable temple of Ponnambalamedu is yet to be constructed. Details about the other three Sasta temples are given below.

ACHANKOVIL

Lord Ayyappa at Sabarimala is ,a Brahmachari. But it is not so in other temples. The concept of each temple is different.

It is believed that Dharnlasastha at this temple has two wives Poorna and Pushkalavon either side of Him. The temple faces east fo and has eighteen steps as at Sabarimala. The idol was believed to be installed by Parasurama. ci The diety here is very powerful and it fulfills K the desires of the adorers. The devotees take resort in the Lord for the redemption from all p the mishaps including diseases, poverty, snake , bite, accidents and natural calamities. It is said that they get the expected result. Even the c prophecy of natural calamities are indicated by this Lord.

Behind the main shrine of the temple i there is a beautiful Kavu. It is the place for worshiping the serpent Gods. Ladies infertile use to do pradakshina (circumambulate) and give offerings at this Kavu. In front of the main shrine there is a Karuppaswami Kovil.

Annual festival is celebrated during the first ten days of the month of Dhanu. The main function is Karuppam thullal. Behind the main shrine there is a beautiful Kavu. It is the place for worshiping the serpent gods. It is believed infertile ladies become pregnant by circumambulating and giving offerings at this Kavu.

Thullal and the chariot procession are ,iperformed on the 9th of Dhanu. Achankovil temple is the only Sastha temple where rathothsavom (Chariot procession) is conducted. The chariot procession is symbolic, 1of the visit of the village by the Lord. Karuppamthullal removes all the obstructions for the chariot procession.

ARYANKAVU

Aryankavu is situated adjacent to the . Kollam Chenkottai road and is about 1000 miles above the sea level. The word Aryangenerally means Sasta. So the Aryam Kavu means the place where Aryan or Sasta reigns and is worshiped. Here the Lord is installed as a youngster or a bridegroom sitting on an elephant with a folded left leg and a hanging right leg. The bride for this God actually is the goddess in the nearby Mampazhathara temple. The thirukalyyanam (Sacred marriage of Lord.' is the most special event of the all eleven da: festival. It is conducted on the 10th day (10th Dhanu). The deities are brought together f( the wedding but the wedding never takes place. The wedding is always postponed. The Lord ever remains a bridegroom. This event having many special features is conducted naturally by Brahmana Sangam of Madurai a Travancore Devaswom Board. It is a common belief that young girls will get married within a year by worshiping the idol.

KULATHUPUZHA

Unlike at Achankovil the diety here is in the form of a boy (Bala Sasta). The peculiarity of the idol is that it is not a single idol, but is made of eight pieces or stones. There is a story behind this miraculous phenomenon. Once when the Tantri went for his bath, his servants wanted to cook food. They made a hearth with three stones. But one of them was taller than the rest. To make all of them equal, they struck a taller stone with a d fourth one, to drive it down. In this risky process the taller stone broke into eight piecesin and started bleeding. By this time the tantri returned and witnessed the presence of Bala Sasta. All on a sudden the vision was reported to the King of Kottarakkara. He ordered to construct a temple and the eight stones were duly installed.

The fishes in the Kulathupuzha river are called Thirumakkal (Sacred children of the Lord) Meenoottu (feeding of the fishes) is a special Vazhipadu here. Normally, grams and wheat flour are offered to thirumakkal. It is deceases are cured by Meenoottu.

Other dieties are Nagaraja and Nagayakshi. THe annual festival of the temple is celebrated on Vishu (1st of the Malayalam Month Medam)