KOTHAKULANGARA SASTHAVU

Prathishta / Presiding Deity : Lord Ayyappa
Upadevatha / Sub Deities : Lord Siva, Lord Vinayaka, Bhagavathy, and nagas
District: Ernakulam
Thaluk: xx
Panchayath: xx
Thanthri: Chennas Mana
Trustee: Cochin Devaswam Board


In this temple Lord Ayyappa is in the form of a child ,facing to the east side. The sub deities are Lord Siva, Lord Vinayaka, Bhagavathy, and nagas. The temple is also known as 'Kariyattu kavu'.

There is a story behind the formation of this temple. In ancient times, the 'Alangad' kingdom were formed by the union of 'Ayiroor', 'Chengamanadu' ,'Kothakulangara' and 'Parakkadavu'. 'Kaimal' was the ruler of Alangadu. The old name of 'Alangadu' was 'Mangad'.Once 'Mangad' family was divided into two 'thavazhi'(privileged by mother side).Blacks an whites. The main place of Blacks were Kothakulangara. 'Kariyattukavu Ayyappa' was the deity whom they worship intensely. When the 'Kariyattukavu' temple was destroyed because of their enmity and foreign attacks , they(black thavazhi) installed Lord Ayyappa in 'Kothakulangara'.After war ,the king of Kochi handed over the places 'Alangadu' and 'Paravoor' to the king of Thiruvithamkoor. Then the temple also combined with Thiruvithamkoor.Thus the idol was installed at 'Kumbalangi' and known as 'Kothakulangara Sastha'.