Tucked away just 12km. north of Kottayam town, Ettumanoor is an ancient Shiva temple. Built in the 16 th c., this temple is a grand example of the Kerala style of architecture. The festival of Ezharaponnaana Ezhunallathu is celebrated every year in the temple which draws a huge number of devotees from all parts of the country.
History
The present temple building, with its gopuram and the fortress around it was reconstructed in 1542 AD. It is believed that the great philosopher Sankaracharya wrote the 'Soundaraya Lahari' staying in the temple.
Features
Bhagavati, Sastha, Ganapathy and Yakshi are installed here as subordinate deities. Apart from the stunning structure of the copper plated conical roof of the central shrine, the temple is richly adorned with a captivating collection of Mural paintings and sculptures depicting scenes from Ramayana, Bhagwata and Hindu Mythology. The golden flagstaff inside the temple with an image of a bull on top of it, is truly majestic. The arattu festival, celebrated on the Thiruvathira day in Kumbham (February-March) every year, is immensely famous where seven and a half elephants made of gold are held in public view. The Thulabharam is one of the most important rituals of the temple.
Time To Visit
October to March is the best time to visit.
How To Reach
The nearest international airport is Cochin, 76 km. away. Kottayam, at a distance of just 2km., is the nearest railway station. The place is easily accessible through waterways from Alleppey, Mannar, Chempakulam, Mankombu and Ambalapuzha.
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