Information of Thamaramkulangara Sree Dharma Sastha Temple, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala

Thamaramkulangara Sree Dharma Sastha temple is a famous temple of the celibate god Iyyappan. This is a Hindu temple and locally managed by a Thamaramkulangara Ayyappa Seva Samithy, who are the village peoples administering this temple for the past five decades. Previously this was under the Kochi Maharajas. This samithy is well known for conducting its temple festival, social welfare activities and promoting cultural related with temple art. This is the only temple which became more popular when managed by its local peoples and are still found undisputed. This temple is located in the royal city where the Kochi and Travancore princely clans lived. The Shabari Mala season will be filled with pilgrims. This is a temple situated in lush greenery amidst huge trees in Tripunithura Taluk, Eranakulam District of Kerala State.

Thamaramkulangara Sree Dharma Sastha Temple Religious Significance

The Iyyappa Swamy is worshiped as Lord Dharma Sastha or the Lord of righteousness. Iyyappa Swamy is the little demi god of Kerlaites who's original abode is on Shabri Hill's. He is a power full young god and is worshiped by all sects of Hinduism. His common addressing word is by Swami Saranam. He is a young male god who is a celibate and is mostly worshiped by the manhood. The women's do worship him but can't go to his holy abode place to Shabari Mala as a pilgrim. But women's are allowed to worship in his local temples such as this Thamaramkulangara Sree Dharma Sastha temple. This is an important temple where pilgrims before taking the seasonal Shabari Mala pilgrimage used to take the first day fasting and penance from this temple. They used to take bath in the early hours and come here to put a Thulasi mala or the Rudrakash Mala and were the black dhotis and shirt as a symbol of taken pilgrimage. This temple does all rituals and ceremonies related with the pilgrims on their 41 days fasting. The daily rituals start from the early morning 5 AM to its closing time as 8 PM every day.

Thamaramkulangara Sree Dharma Sastha Temple Mythology & History

The origin of this temple is by a previous temple priest who came here from Malapuram Iyyapa Temple, which is a 200 Km away from here. When this temple priest commenced his journey towards the Tripunithura, a lizard also came with him by sitting on his palm leaf umbrella. The priest realized that the Iyyappn came with him in the lizard form and requested the Kochi Maharaja to build a temple here. The place where the temple is built was Thamaramkulangara and the temple name also adopted with it while mentioning the original temple name as the Sree Dharma Sastha temple.

Thamaramkulangara Sree Dharma Sastha Temple Architectural Significance

This is an ancient temple went through many modification since it's built in Thamaramkulangara. The most of the raised up strong structure was done by the Kochi Maharajas. Since independence this temple is maintained by its local villagers. Presently it is seen in the traditional Kerala temple model. It is an open temple surrounded with lot of greenery's and huge trees. The primary deity is Lord Iyyappa and he is kept in the central shrine cell. There are also deities of Brahmasrakshas, Lord Vinayaka, Sri Badhra kali and Nagaraja. All of these deities are beautifully carved on single granite stone. It has got a beautiful temple flag pole with brass ornate on it. Many of these shrine cells are brass plated and there is a special pathway made of stone slabs to reach these cells. There are also few complexes built here for temple official purposes. There is a community hall build here to cater the ceremonial need of its devotees. Altogether this Thamaramkulangara along with Sree Dharma Sastha temple looks very sacred.

Festivals at Thamaramkulangara Sree Dharma Sastha Temple

The Makara Masa Ultsavam is a weeklong festival conducted in Thamaramkulangara Sree Dharma Sastha temple. It is locally organized by its people's contribution and well known in Cochin. Many devotees come to this festival for the temple flag hoisting ceremony which is the start of this festival followed by many special rituals performed here. This is like a great fair and peoples participation are found more on cultural related to temple songs, traditional dances and anyone who want to make a first public debut in arts and crafts are allowed to perform here. The last day is provided with awards and prices. Throughout the festival time this temple will be looking colorful with flower decoration, oil lit chandeliers and light lamps in its full glow are found within premises. The temple elephants are magnificently ornamented as they are the most beautiful part of the celebrate and the main attraction of the festival that is celebrate here.