Panachikkad Saraswathy Temple

Getting there

• By road

  The temple is about 10 km from Kottayam town, which has the KSRTC bus stand.

Why devotees come here

Panachikkad Saraswathy Temple stands in Panachikkadu village, Kottayam district, Kerala. It is known as the Mookambika of the South, and pooja is offered through the year. The temple also has a place in the Dakshin Pilgrimage.

The temple is known as the Mookambika of the South. Pooja is offered through the year here, unlike many Saraswati temples that perform rituals only during Navaratri. Tradition says Parasurama, the legendary founder of Kerala, consecrated the temple. Legend adds that he ploughed the rocky ground to impress Devi Durga, who then blessed the site.

The temple is mentioned in the Ithihyamala by Kottarathil Sankunni. Tradition says a Brahmin of the Kizhupurathillam family was told to establish the temple with an idol found in the area. Rituals have continued since then, performed by three Brahmin families: Kizhupuram, Karunad and Kaimukku.

The temple has no formal structure. The idol sits on a platform of river stones called manithara, and rituals are performed in thatched huts. A spring flows through the grounds and supplies water for all rituals. Sub-shrines inside are for Shiva, Ganapathi, Ayyappan, snake deities and Panachikkattu Yakshi.

Festivals

• NavaratriNavaratri and the Panachikkadu Festival

  Nine days of music, dance and prayer. Devotees take home Saraswatham ghee, consecrated during the Navaratri poojas and given as prasadam after the Saraswati Pooja on Vijayadashami.

• October or NovemberSaraswathi Pooja

  The temple's significant annual Saraswathi Pooja.

• Vijayadashami, the last day of NavaratriVidyarambham

  Children start learning on this day. The ritual is also held throughout the year, except on Durgashtami and Mahanavami.

Tips for your visit

• Festival dates follow the Malayalam calendar and can change, so confirm them with local authorities before you travel.
• If you are on the Sabarimala yatra, this is a significant stop on the way.

Questions people ask