Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Thiruvananthapuram International Airport is about 117 km away. Cochin International Airport is another convenient option.

• By train

  The closest station is Chengannur, about 11 km away, with taxis and buses from there.

• By road

  Chengannur is about 10 km, Pathanamthitta 15 km and Pandalam 14 km away, with frequent KSRTC and private buses.

Rules to know

• Only the Thantri and the Melshanthi, the two main priests, may enter the Sree Kovil, as per Kerala ritual.

Why devotees come here

Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple stands on the southern bank of the Pamba river in Aranmula village, Pathanamthitta district, Kerala. It is one of the 108 Divya Desams, the Vishnu temples revered by the Alvar saints. The main idol of Parthasarathy is 6 ft tall.

Legend has it that Arjuna built this temple to atone for killing Karna on the battlefield, against the dharma of killing an unarmed enemy. The five ancient temples of the Chengannur area are believed to have been built by the Pandavas.

The village takes its name from a legend too. The idol is said to have been brought here on a raft of six bamboo pieces, and aru mula means six pieces of bamboo. The main idol is 6 ft (1.8 m) tall, the tallest among the Krishna idols in Kerala.

The Aranmula mirror tradition is linked to a crown that the king of Travancore wanted to give the temple. The roof and some pillars carry wood and stucco carvings of the Ramayana and Mahabharata. Paintings on the shrine walls date to the early 18th century.

Festivals

• Chingam month, on Ashtami RohiniValla Sadya

  A grand feast and one of the temple's most celebrated events.

• Makara month, from Atham nakshatra, ending on ThiruvonamAnnual Utsavam

  A ten-day festival that opens with the Kodiyettu ceremony.

• The last day of OnamSnake boat race

  Snake boats about 100 ft long, with 100 rowers and 25 singers, race on the Pamba.

• Dhanus monthKhandavanadahanam

  A bonfire that recalls the Mahabharata forest fire.

Tips for your visit

• Thulabaram, where you are weighed against offerings that go to the temple, is practised here.
• The temple is raised on a flight of 20 steps.
• The temple lies on the route of the sacred jewels of Ayyappa, carried each year from Pandalam to Sabarimala.

Questions people ask