Jatayupara Kodanda Rama Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Thiruvananthapuram International Airport (TRV) is the nearest airport.

• By train

  Kollam Junction (QLN) is the nearest railway station.

• By road

  Chadayamangalam village lies along the Ithikkara river and the MC road. The village is 37.5 km from Kollam city and 43 km from Thiruvananthapuram.

Why devotees come here

Jatayupara Kodanda Rama Temple stands on Jatayu Rock in Chadayamangalam, Kollam district, Kerala. The temple stands about 1000 feet above sea level. The temple is linked with the Ramayana and with the vulture Jatayu, who tried to save Sita.

Jatayupara Kodanda Rama Temple is dedicated to Rama on top of Jatayu Rock, a place of great significance in the Ramayana. Local legend ties the rock to Jatayu, the vulture who tried to save Sita from Ravana. Impressed by his sacrifice, Rama is said to have given Jatayu a religious rite and blessed the rock, which made it a sacred site.

Local devotees are believed to have built the temple long ago to remember this episode of the Ramayana. A number of prominent donors are renovating and maintaining it. The shrine follows the traditional Kerala style, with sloping roofs, wooden pillars and gables. The village around it lies along the Ithikkara river.

The innermost part of the temple is the sanctum sanctorum. There Rama is enshrined with Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman as idols. Smaller shrines in the complex honour Ganesha and Ayyappa, so a visit covers more than one deity.

Tips for your visit

• Hiking and nature walks around Jatayu Rock are a good addition to the visit.
• Palaruvi Waterfalls is about 1 hour away by road, a good stop if you have time.

Questions people ask