Aroor Karthyayani temple is located at Aroor in Alappuzha district, Kerala. The temple is one among the 108 Durga temples in Kerala. The shrine is known as Ayroor in Durgalaya Kshetra Namavali. The main deity worshipped in the temple is Goddess Karthyayani – powerful manifestation of Goddess Shakti.
Darshanam of Aroor Karthyayani temple is towards east. Puja is performed five times in a day. The Upa Devatas worshipped in the temple are Shiva and Ganapathi.
The 8-day annual festival in the temple concludes on Uthram nakshatra day in Meenam month.
As per history, the temple was earlier known Kattil Pisharam. It is also believed that the prathishta in the temple was performed by Vilwamangalam Swamiyar. It is said that he happened to see the tejas of Goddess Karthyayani under a mango tree in Aroor and performed the prathishta there.
As per some scholars, the temple was in front of Jyothisha Kotta (fort) of Kochi kings at Edappally. The Dutch had attacked the temple and destroyed it. They threw the murti of Goddess in a pond.
The destroyed temple was rebuilt by Kannankulangara Kaimal. It is said that he did not want the Goddess to leave the place. He asked the Goddess to wait for him at the spot till he returns with a tender coconut. It is said that Kaimal never returned as he committed suicide by hanging. Thus the Goddess permanently resides in the place. The arukola of Kannankulangara Kaimal is worshipped under a Karimpana in the temple premises. He is popularly known as Arukulathammavan.