Perumbavoor Dharmasastha temple is located at Perumbavoor in Ernakulam district, Kerala. The temple is dedicated to Sastha or Ayyappa. The 8-day annual festival in the temple is held during Meena Masam (March – April) and is known as Panguni Uthiram. Uthram nakshatra is the most important date during the festival.
Perumbavoor Dharmasastha temple is a typical Kerala style Hindu shrine with a kodimaram (flag pole), chathura sreekovil, nalambalam, and shrines of upa devatas.
The annual festival in the temple is famous for a colorful procession with seven caparisoned elephants and melam. Traditional performing art forms of Kerala are performed during the festival. The festival culminates with Arattu ceremony.
The shrine also observes the annual Mandala Makaravilakku festival.
Vishu is an important day with Vishu Kani darshanam in early morning hours.
Perumbavoor Dharmasastha Temple Story
As per local history the shrine was established by Nallur Kartha, one of the Nair nobles of Perumbavoor.
He engaged two boys as his servants and they were given raw rice as wages every day. Every day after work the boys took raw rice and some Tulsi leaves. Once Kartha became suspicious about the action of boys and shadowed them while they returned. He saw them standing near a Palmyra tree and then disappeared.
On that night Kartha had a dream wherein Ayyappa appeared
and informed him that it was He who worked as his servant and the other boy is
His friend. Ayyappa asked
him to construct a temple for Him and His friend. Ayyappa also directed Kartha
to a treasure under the Palmyra tree, which should be used for the construction
of the temple.
Kartha found a bag full of gold coins and utilizing the money he built the temple.
The history of the temple can be traced back to 11th century. Alangad Yogam that takes part in the Erumeli Petta Thullal (a ritual that takes place in connection with Sabarimala pilgrimage) starts their journey from this temple every year.