Kollam - at the abode of Kottarakulam Ganapathi

Sree Kottarakulam Mahaganapathy Temple, one of the prominent Lord Ganapathy temples in South Kerala, is situated in the heart of the Kollam City and is administered by the Temple Administrative committee of Quilon Brahmana Samajam. The Principal diety is Lord Sree Mahaganapathi in the form Kshipra Ganapathi. Lord Sastha and Navagraha (Nine planetary gods) were consecrated in 1985.

The unique feature of this temple is that pooja method adopted in this temple is Vedic system of Brahmin tradition, giving importance to chanting Veda Mantras. It is quite different from the tradition followed by most of the temples in Kerala.The main festivals of the temple are Sahasrakalasa Abhishekam, Vinayaka Chathurthi, Mandala Pooja, Vidhyarajagopala Homam, Sapthaham, Panguni Uthram, Prathishta Day, etc. 

The deity is very powerful and the main offerings are Unniyappam and Modakam, sweetened delicious puddings of which Lord Ganapathi is very fond of. The annual Vinayaka Chathurthi festival of the Kottarakulam Maha ganapathy here begins on the month of August. Rituals including Ashta Dravya Mahaganapathy Homam, Kalashapooja, Laksharchana and Pushpabhishekam forms a major attraction here.

The temple over the years has attracted a various number of devotees from far-off places, especially in recent years. The temple although a modern one in appearance, is actually an ancient temple, which was reconstructed and developed much to its present form in the year 1984.

The priests who serve the temple at present are Shri. Bhaskara Vadhyar, Shri. Sankara Vadhyar & Shri. Venkatarama Vadhyar. Lord Ganapathi supports a lot of people and families who are related with the temple. 

 
Historical and spiritual claims on rights over the Kottarakulam pond, which once served as a popular bathing spot of Kollam, has resulted in the pond being in a dilapidated condition.  As per historical records, the pond is situated right in front of the Durbar hall of the erstwhile rulers of Deshinganadu(Jayasimhanadu became Deshinganadu, named after the ruler of Chera dynasty). The pond was meant for the people to clean themselves before going for an audience with the Deshinganadu rulers at the Durbar hall. Even after the fall of the Deshinganadu kingdom, many in Kollam made it a habit to take bath in that pond and that affinity to the pond continued for generations.

Meanwhile, about 50 years ago, a temple with Lord Ganapathy as the presiding deity was constructed on the banks of the pond. The temple has a large gathering of devotees and in the past many of these devotees would step into the temple for rituals only after taking a bath in the pond. In fact from then on the temple became associated with the pond and the temple itself is known as the Kottarakulam Ganapathy Temple.

 

While devotees of the temple used the pond for the bathing ritual, the pond, situated on revenue land, remained under the control of the municipal authorities. However, at that time neither the municipal authorities nor the temple authorities cared much about the pond. Yet it is a fact that attempts to save the pond began as early as 1985. However, the rival claims over the pond from the temple authorities and the civic body has stumped those attempts. According to temple committee, since the pond has become associated with the temple it is only logical that any development project being implemented there should also be in coordination with the temple authorities.

 
Now the temple committee is prepared to take up the responsibility of preserving the pond and meeting the entire expenses for that provided the civic authorities agree to the same. Even here the committee does not demand the civic authorities to grant any formal rights over the pond to the committee. We could only pray that Kottarakulam Lord Mahaganapathy may continuously bless the devotees like ever before, amidst all these revolts of egoistic humans, in the coming years.