Kulathupuzha Sree Dharma Sastha Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Trivandrum International Airport is about 64 km away.

• By train

  Thenmala railway station is about 11 km away.

• By road

  KSRTC and private buses connect the town to Punalur, Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Tenkasi.

Rules to know

• Fishing is strictly prohibited at the temple pond.

Why devotees come here

Kulathupuzha Sree Dharma Sastha Temple stands on the banks of the Kulathupuzha River in Kollam district, Kerala. The principal deity is Shasta in child form, commonly known as Kulathupuzha Balakan. Legend links the temple with five Sastha temples founded by Parashurama.

The temple is one of five important Sastha temples in Kerala. The others are Aryankavu, Achankovil, Sabarimala and Kanthamala. It is also one of the pilgrim spots linked with the legend of Sabarimala.

Legend says Parashurama founded this temple as one of five Sastha temples. It also says Sastha allowed a mermaid, a Jala Kanyaka, to live in the temple pond in the form of a fish. The fish are considered Shasta's favourites, and fishing is strictly prohibited here.

The idol is believed to have been installed by Parashurama and is made of eight pieces of stone. The temple was once held by the king of Kottarakkara. It was later handed over to the Travancore Devaswom Board, which lists it with the Achankovil and Aryankavu Devaswoms. The temple sits on the banks of the Kulathupuzha River, a tributary of the Kallada River. The town lies in the eastern part of Kollam district, in the Punalur tehsil.

Festivals

• AprilVishu Mahotsavam

  The most important festival of this temple.

Tips for your visit

• Devotees offer Meenoottu, which means feeding the fish in the temple pond, for healing warts on the skin.
• Thenmala eco-tourism is about 9 km away.

Questions people ask