Arattupuzha Sree Sastha Temple

Getting there

• By train

  Thrissur city has four railway stations, and Thrissur railway station provides trains in three directions. Arattupuzha village is about 12 km south of Thrissur town.

• By road

  Thrissur city is connected to the North-South Corridor by the four-lane National Highway 544. Kerala State Road Transport Corporation buses run from the town.

Why devotees come here

Arattupuzha Sree Sastha Temple is dedicated to Shri Ayyappa, in Arattupuzha village, Thrissur district, Kerala. Its origins are said to go back about 3000 years. It is the setting for Arattupuzha Pooram, a seven-day festival described as the oldest pooram in Kerala.

The Sree Sastha Temple is dedicated to Shri Ayyappa, and it draws devotees and tourists alike. The temple stands in Arattupuzha village, on the banks of the Karuvannur river, and the festival's final ceremony takes place at a nearby river ghat. The village is in Thrissur district, about 12 km south of Thrissur town.

The temple is said to date back about 3000 years. Its festival, Arattupuzha Pooram, is held for seven days each year. Before Thrissur Pooram began, the largest temple festival in Kerala was the one-day Arattupuzha Pooram. Today it is described as the oldest pooram in Kerala.

The climax is the last two days of the festival. The early-morning divine assembly features more than 80 elephants. The Sasthavinte Melam, a percussion ensemble of over 200 artists, is held on the penultimate day. Deities from 23 temples in Thrissur are brought to the Sree Sastha Temple for the ritual. The final ceremony, the Arattu, is the bath of the deities in the river ghat Mandaram Kadavu.

Festivals

• March or April, on the Makam star of the Malayalam month MinamArattupuzha Pooram

  A seven-day festival. The last two days are the climax, and the final ceremony is the bath of the deities in the river ghat Mandaram Kadavu.

Tips for your visit

• Festival dates are approximate, so confirm the exact dates with local authorities before you travel.
• The divine assembly takes place early in the morning, so plan your day around it.

Questions people ask