Achankovil Sree Dharmasastha Temple

Getting there

• By road

  The temple is about 85 km from Kollam. Manalar and Kumbuvurutty waterfalls are seen along the way.

Why devotees come here

Achankovil Sree Dharmasastha Temple stands on the bank of the Achankovil river in Kollam district, Kerala. It is one of five major Shasta temples in Kerala, and devotees see it as a refuge from snakebite poisoning. It lies in the Aryankavu panchayat of Kollam district.

Legend says the idol at Achankovil was consecrated by Parashurama. The principal deity is Shasta, whom local people call Achankovil Andavan or Achankovil Arasan. He is shown as a householder, a Grihastha, with his consorts Purna and Pushkala on either side. Among the subordinate deities are Bhagavati, Maalikapurathamma, Durga, Nagaraja, Ganesha, Kartikeya, Karuppu Sami and Arukola.

The other major Shasta temples in Kerala are Kulathupuzha, Aryankavu, Sabarimala and Kanthamala. The Travancore Devaswom Board administers this temple. The Board planned a pilgrimage circuit of five Sastha temples, which includes this one along with Pandalam, Kulathupuzha, Aryankavu and Erumeli. It is among the important Kerala temples that hold the Therottam, a chariot festival.

The idol holds sandalwood paste and holy water (tirtham). Devotees believe the two together have medicinal properties against snake poison. It is said that an ancient forest route once linked the five temples, about 39 km apart (some say 30 km), but that route has since vanished. The rituals blend Tamil and Malayali cultural traditions.

Festivals

• Dhanu month (December to January)Mandala Puja

  Held each year from the first through the tenth day of Dhanu, the Malayalam month. It is one of the temple's important festivals.

• Makaram month (January to February)Revathi Puja

  Another main festival hosted at the temple, in the Malayalam month of Makaram.

Tips for your visit

• During the pilgrimage, nearly 25,000 pilgrims a day arrive at each circuit temple, a good majority of them from Tamil Nadu.
• Pilgrims pray and make offerings here before going on to Sabarimala.

Questions people ask