Tirumala Shiva Temple Festival In Thiruvananthapuram – Tirumala Kusakode Mahadevar Temple Information - History
Tirumala Kusakode Mahadevar temple is located around 7 km from Kizhakkekotta on the Karamana – Tirumala road in Thiruvananthapuram. The 8-day annual festival at Tirumala Shiva temple ends with arattu on Thiruvathira nakshatra day in Meenam month. The festival is known Trikkodiyett Mahotsavam and begins with flag hoisting or kodiyettam and ends with arattu.
Traditional temple arts, dance and music are part of the festival. Annadanam is held during the 8-day festival. Pallivetta is observed on the 7th day of the festival. Elephant feeding or aanayoottu is held on the final day of the festival. The festival concludes with arattu.
Thiruvathira in Dhanu Masam and Shivratri are the other important festivals in the temple.
The sreekovil faces east. The prathishta of Shiva in the temple has Keerata Murti Bhavam. It is believed that the prathishta in the temple was performed by Vilwamangalam Swamiyar.
The Upa Devatas worshipped in the temple are Ganapathy and Nagam. There are two groves (kavu) in the temple. The grove in the south side has Yakshi Amma and the grove on the west side has Devi.
The belief is that the place where the temple is located was a forest filled with Kusha or darbha grass.
The flag post or dwajam in the temple is made of vella odu – white bronze.
The walls of sreekovil have paintings based on stories from Puranas.