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Panamanna Sree Sankaranarayana Temple - History - Information - Festival

Panamanna Sree Sankaranarayana temple is located at around 7 km northwest of Ottapalam in Kerala. The 10-day annual festival at Panamanna Sree Sankaranarayana Temple begins with flag hoisting or kodiyettam in Kumbham month.

Utsava bali is observed on the 6th day of the festival. Ettam Vilakku is an important day. Pallivetta is observed on the 9th day of the festival.


The other auspicious day in the temple are Ayilyam nakshatra in Kanni masam. Niramala Mahotsavam on the first day of Vrischikam month. Kalabhabhishekam is performed on the 41st day of Mandala kalam.

Thaipooyam is of importance in the shrine. Dhwaja Prathishta and Panamanna Ekadasi in Makaram month are famous. Thalappoli is observed in Medam month.

The annual Vilakku festival is held in Makaram month.

The murti of Sankaranarayana Swamy worshipped in the temple is swayambhu. This is believed to be the only swayambhu murti of Sankaranarayana in Kerala.

Panamanna Sree Sankaranarayana Temple Festival

It is believed Sage Narada performed penance (tapas) in the spot where the current temple resides. Shiva and Vishnu appeared in the form of Sankaranarayana before Narada here. Later a murti appeared in the same spot. This is now worshipped as Panamanna Sree Sankaranarayana.

The murti worshipped in the main sanctum sanctorum is a Shivling with crescent moon (Chandramouli Shiva). But all the pujas in the shrine are dedicated to Vishnu. One can go around the sanctum sanctorum and perform full pradakshina in the temple – not like 3/4th in usual Shiva temples. The deity faces west.

The Upa Devatas in the temple are Vigneshwaran, Ayyappa, and Kodkunnathu Bhagavathy and Brahmarakshas. There is a designated spot for nagas near the temple pond.

There is a separate Sastha temple in complex. Sastha is worshipped along with Purna and Pushkala. It is believed that Sastha in the temple is associated with Vidya or learning. People worship the deity after writing Hari Shri in the Aksharathara near the shrine.

Daily five pujas, three Seeveli and Navakam are done in the temple. This is very rare in majority of Kerala temples.