கோட்டாரக்கரா ஸ்ரீ மகாகணபதி கோயில்Kottarakkara Sree Mahaganapathy Temple

Sthala Mahātmyam

The Kottarakkara Sree Mahaganapathy temple in Kollam district is one of Kerala's most famous Ganapathy shrines. Though the principal deity of the temple is Shiva (the shrine was formerly the Kizhakkekara Shiva temple), it is renowned above all for its Mahaganapathy, whose fame, by legend, has come to eclipse that of the father, as the master craftsman Perumthachan is said to have foretold. Sthala mahatmya: the grieving Perumthachan, wandering after the death of his son, arrived here during a renovation, and from a great jackfruit-tree root within the sacred serpent grove (sarpakavu) he carved a majestic Ganapathy idol, installing it facing the south-east. His first offering at the consecration was Unniyappam, and to this day the temple's Unniyappam, a sweet rice-and-banana fritter fried in ghee, is its most famous prasadam. The temple is especially celebrated for the Mahaganapathy Homam, performed with many coconuts (1008 in the grand form), sought for removing obstacles in both worldly and spiritual pursuits. Festivals: Vinayaka Chaturthi with grand homams is the chief festival, along with the annual temple festival.