Ayyappa Temple / Sree Dharma Sastha Temple

Overview

Sree Dharma Sastha Temple is located at Perumbavoor, Ernakulam, Perumbavoor Dharma Sastha Temple is a famous temple dedicated to Sree Dharma Sastha. The history of Perumbavoor Dharma Sastha Temple can be traced back to 11th century.

About The Temple

Perumbavoor Dharma Sastha Temple complex is situated in an 8-acre plot. The complex consists of Sreekovil, chuttambalam with agra-mandapam, valiya-balikal, pradakshinavazhi, deepasthambham, dhwajam, aanakottil and oottupura.

About The Deity

The idol of Lord Ayyappa here is in a unique pose. Lord sits on a sila-peetham with right leg folded in upright pose with right foot firmly fixed to the peetha. The left leg is folded and kept slantingly in such a way that its toes come in front of the right foot.

Legend and Stories

Nallur Kartha once engaged two boys as his servants and they were given raw rice as wages every day. Every day after their work the boys took raw rice and some Thulasi (sweet basil) leaves from there. Once Kartha became suspicious about the action of the boys and followed them. Kartha saw the boys standing near a Palmyra tree and then they disappeared. Nallur Kartha had a dream that night in which Lord Ayyappa appeared and informed him that it was He who worked as his servant and the other boy is His friend. Lord asked Nallur Kartha to construct a temple for Him and His friend for which Nallur Kartha would get sufficient money for the construction of the temple from the beneath of Palmyra tree. On looking, Kartha found a bag full of gold coins and he built the temple using that money.

Festivals

Annual festival for eight days is celebrated in the month of Meenam (March-April). Thiruvonam, Ashtami Rohini, Navarathri, Deepavali andChirappu in Thulam (October-November) are the other important festivals.

Pooja Name and Timing

Five poojas – Usha Pooja, Ethrth pooja, Pantheeradi Pooja, Ucha Pooja and Athazha pooja – are held daily.Five poojas - Usha Pooja (6:30 AM), Ethrth pooja (7 AM), Pantheeradi Pooja (8 AM), Ucha Pooja (10:30 AM) and Athazha pooja (7:30 PM) are held daily. Sreebali is done at 7:30 AM, 10:45 AM and 7:45 PM.

Prasad and Offering

Appam, Katum payasam, vella nivedyam, neyyabhishekam, palabhishekam and panineer abhishekam are the main offerings at Perumbavoor Dharma Sastha Temple with appam, katum-payasam and neyyabhishekam being special.

How to Reach Perumbavoor

Instead of Perumbavoor you can a get flight to Kochi Airport on regular basis. There are no regular trains from other major cities to Perumbavoor. Nearest train station is Chovvara. Perumbavoor is well connected to other major cities of the country via regular buses.

Temple Address

Ayyappa Temple / Sree Dharma Sastha Temple,
Perumbavoor,
Ernakulam District,
Kerala.