Kollam Pilgrim Centre

Sree Venkatachalapathy Temple

One of the most famous temples in Kollam, it was established in 1822. What makes it unique is that it is the southernmost temple of the Gowda Saraswat Brahmins originally from Karnataka, these Brahmins, who came to the region long ago, form a sizeable community, which is largely clustered around this temple in Kerala.

Unlike in other temples in Kerala, the deities in the sanctum sanctorum here are placed on three steps. The principal deity, Venkatachalapathy, is on the first step. The temple also has two ponds, a large one and a smaller one inside. A notable aspect of the temple is the large aviary constructed near the smaller pond, home to numerous pigeons.

Ochira Temple

The annual festival, Ochirakali, is held during June-July, in commemoration of the historic battle fought between the Kayamkulam and Chempakasseri soldiers. During the festival, men dress up as warriors and enact mock wars wielding wooden sticks, brandishing swords and shields, enacting a kind of martial dance, standing knee deep in water. Two days of this ritual is followed by few days of brisk trading in cattle and agricultural produce, an old tradition now being revived.

Besides, this the 12-day Panthrandu Vilakku (twelve lamps) festival, held in November - December, attracts hordes of pilgrims.

Sasthamkotta Dharmasastha Temple

Kollam abounds in temples dedicated to Lord Ayyappa; Sasthamkotta Dharmasastha is one of them. Dharmasastha here is said to possess the same powers as that of Lord Ayyappa in Sabarimala.

The monkeys of Sasthamkotta that colonize the towering trees nearby are believed to be the loyal followers of the ruling deity, Dharmasastha. That explains why they are reversed by devotees and fed with nuts and fruits. When on a Kerala pilgrimage tour to Sasthamkotta Dharmasastha Temple if you are there at 10 am you can take part in the ritual when they are fed with fruits and 4:45 pm when meals are served to them, including payasam.

Mayyand

About 10 kms south of Kollam is Mayyand, famous for its shrines and temples. Subrahmanya Temple at Umayanallor, the most important among the nine temples in Kerala has a shrine said to have been consecrated by the great philosopher Sree Adi Sankaracharya.

The Rameshwara temple has obvious Dravidian characteristics. The Pandyan influence in its design is unmistakable and you can see inscriptions dating between 12th and 16th centuries. The other temples of Kerala lie scattered at different places around here and are an important part of Kerala pilgrimage tour.