Draft:Sakthikulangara Sree Dharma Shasta Temple

Sakthikulangara Sree Dharma Shasta Temple
A popular legend about the origin of the name Sakthikulangara is related to the foundation of the Sree Dharma Sastha Temple. A Brahmin, a great Vedic scholar, who was returning from attending the Murajapam at the Thiruvananthapuram Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple, came down to take a bath in the pond near the temple. The things that he had were kept in the pond. He was about to leave after bathing and when he tried to take his things kept in the pond, the Salagrama which has been with him since the time of his ancestors, was so fixed to the bank of the pool that he could not lift it. Realising the power inside the Salagrama he said "Sakthi kulakarayilo" Hence the name was derived as Sakthikulangara for the place. (Sakthi means power and 'kulangara' means the bank of the pool). Then the locals who gathered there were asked to build a temple for the deity who had fixed iron at the Kulakara. Sree Dharma Sastha is believed to be the ‘Saving God’ of four communities: Sakthikulangara Cherry, Kannimel Cherry, Kureepuzha Cherry and Meenathu Cherry. Sree Dharma Shastha in this temple is affectionately called " Kunchachaman ".

The temple is believed to be one of the 108 Ayyappan Kavu temples in Kerala. The Sakthikulangara Dharma Sastha Temple-Sree Ayyappa Swamy Temple is known for its Utsavam in the Uthram starMalayalam month of Makaram (between mid-January and mid-February).