Erumeli Sree Dharmasastha Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Cochin International Airport is 119 km away and Thiruvananthapuram Airport 140 km, the nearest airports.

• By train

  Kottayam, Chengannur, Changanassery and Thiruvalla are the nearest rail heads for the town.

• By road

  Erumeli can be reached through Mundakkayam, Kanjirappally, Manimala, Kanamala, Ponkunnam, Vechoochira or Ranni. National Highway NH220 passes about 10 km from the town.

Why devotees come here

Erumeli Sree Dharmasastha Temple stands in the heart of Erumeli town in Kottayam district, Kerala. It is dedicated to Ayyappa, also called Dharmasastha. Erumeli is a key base station for pilgrims going to the hill shrine of Sabarimala.

Erumeli Sree Dharmasastha Temple is dedicated to Ayyappa, also called Dharmasastha. It stands in the heart of Erumeli town, and its building follows the traditional Kerala style. The temple is known as Valiyambalam. The other temple in the town, Kochambalam, lies within 0.5 km of it.

The tantric rights of the temple are held by Tazhmon Mutt. Erumeli sits on the banks of the Manimala River. It is a key base station for the hill shrine of Sabarimala.

The ritual dance Pettathullal begins at the Petta Sree Dharmasastha temple, which is Kochambalam, next to the Vavar masjid. Legend says the dance depicts the joy of the people over Ayyappa slaying Mahishi. It is performed every year in the Mandalam to Makaravilakku period, among thousands of devotees.

Festivals

• 27th of Dhanu, during the Mandalam to Makaravilakku periodPettathullal

  A ritual dance held every year, performed among thousands of devotees.

• February, the Malayalam month of Kumbham, for 10 daysAnnual utsavam

  The temple's festival is celebrated grandly over ten days.

Tips for your visit

• Pilgrims get accommodation, food and water at the temple, provided by the Travancore Devaswom Board.
• During Pettathullal, the groups go from the Vavar mosque to this temple, about 0.5 km away.

Questions people ask