Kerala Pilgrim Centres - Kollam

¤ Pilgrim centres in Kollam

* Kottumkulangara Temple
It is situated in Chavara, 12 km from Kollam is the Kottumkulangara Temple. This temple is famous for the Thalappoli Mahotsav which has a time honoured custom of men dressed in female attires offering flowers to deity.

* Parabrahma Temple
It is located at Ochira which is 34 km from Kollam, is the site for this pilgrim centre. It owes allegiance to the Advaitha philosophy in Hinduism. The presiding deity here is Prabrahma or "absolute reality". Being an abstract concept that cannot be symbolised in an iconographic manner, there is no temple structure here. The Ochirakali in the month of June is famous.

* Lord Ayyappa Temple
This temple is located in Aryankavu which is 70 km from Kollam. This pilgrim centre has exquisite sculptures and mural paintings. Mandala pooja and Thrikalyanam celebrated in December are the main festivals here.

* Mata Amritanandamayi Mutt
This is the place is 32 km from Kollam, where Mata Amritanandamayi or Amma was born. It is today the headquarters of her worldwide mission and the spiritual home of thousands of devotees.

* Panmana
It is situated in Karunagapally which is 18 km from Kollam. This is where Sree Chattampi Swamikal, a great social reformer of Modern Kerala attained Samadhi in 1924. The Bhattarakeswaram temple and ashram are dedicated to him.

* Mayyanad
The place is primarily noted for its shrines and temples, the most important of the nine temples being the Subramanya Temple at Umayanallor.

* Rameshwara Temple
There are inscriptions in Tamil depicting the epic Mahabaratha. These inscription are from 12th to the 16th centuries. The Vyala monster sculptures in this temple gives one the impression that the creatures are animated and actually climbing up the stairs with their outstretched paws.

* Sasthamkotta Sastha Temple
This vast fresh water lake surrounded by hills on three sides is the largest of its kind in Kerala. The ancient Sastha Temple which lends its name to the town, is an important pilgrim centre. There are frequent bus services from Kollam.

* Kulathupuzha Sastha Temple
Situated on a forest range on the Thiruvananthapuram - Shenkottai road, Kulathupuzha is known for the Sastha temple. The Vishu Mahotsavam in April/May is the most important festival. There are frequent buses from Kollam to Kulathupuzha. The Thenmala railway station is just 10 km from here.