Sasthamcotta Sree Dharma Sastha Temple
Shri Dharma Sastha temple is a Hindu temple located at the village Sasthamkotta, Kerala, India. It is surrounded three sides by the largest fresh water lake of Kerala, Sasthamkotta lake.
The temple here is well known for the inhabitance of monkeys. The temple monkeys are believed to be the divine retinue of the prime deity. The Sasthamcotta temple is one among the five ancient Sastha temples in Kerala - AchanKoil, Aryankavu, Kulathupuzha, Sasthamcotta and Sabarimala. The concept of Dharma Sastha represents the unison of Vaishnava and Saiva beliefs.
The presiding deity of the temple is Shri Dharma Sastha, accompanied by his consort ‘Prabha’ and son ‘Sathyaka’.
The legend of this temple stretches beyond the period of the Ramayana (Treta Yuga). It is believed that Shri Rama along with his wife Sita, brother Lakshmana and the whole vaanara sena, on their way back to Ayodhya after the victory over Ravana, visited Sasthamcotta to pay their reverence to Shri Dharma Sastha. Shri Rama offered pithru tharpan on the banks of the Sasthamcotta Lake, the water of which is supposed to be identical to Surya Raga Theertha of Manasa Sarovar. Lord Rama then deputed the chief architect of his vanara (monkey) team, Neelan to serve his host. Neelan is believed to be the predecessor of the prevailing monkey clan in this temple.
Location
Sasthamcotta
Main Deity
Lord Aiyyappa
Other Deities
Ganapathy, Shiva, Yakshiyamma, Rakshas, Risheeswaran, Madan Swami, Nagaraja, Naga Yakshi, Bhoothathan
Festivals
The Annual Festival is celebrated on ‘Utram’ in the month of Kumbham (February–March). Thiruvonam, Navaratri, Mandala Mahotsav (41 days), Makara Sankrama pooja, Sivaratri, Painkuni Utram, Pathamudayam, Karkidaka Vavu.
Main Offerings
Neeranjanam, Annadhanam.
How To Reach
Trivandrum International Airport is situated at 85.1KM from the temple.
Karunagappalli Railway Station is situated at 12.8KM from the temple.
Karunagappalli KSRTC Station is situated at 13.9KM from the temple.