Sasthamkotta Ayyappa Temple

Kerala has been divided into several smaller states on those days and each has been under a king. There were many tiny states and Pandalam was one among them. The world-famous Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple was under the control of the Pandalam royal family and the Lord Ayyappa has been considered their family deity.

Once, a young prince from this family got married to a beautiful princess of Kayamkulam. He stayed back at her palace and did not return to his own country. There was a custom for the family members of Pandalam Royal family to visit Sabarimala Temple once in a month and to perform several rituals there. This prince fell for the beauty and the romantic approach of his wife and forgot everything. When he got immersed in the materialistic life forgetting his family god, one day he had a nightmare where he saw many wild animals including tigers attacking him. He was so scared that he cried loudly in sleep. This has repeated for many days and the relatives of his wife have considered that he became mad. They scolded him and insulted him rudely.

Although his wife has supported him fully, he got hurt with the insults of other family members. One day he was sitting alone in the courtyard of the palace. Then a Brahmin came there and told him to visit Sabarimala Temple once as it was long since he went there last time. He asked the prince to be there for twelve days continuously. He took those words as of Sabarimala Ayyappa and went to Sabarimala.

Meanwhile, the king who has insulted the prince became mad. He could not recognize anybody and could not talk anything other than two words, “Kaduvayum Puliyum Pettu” (Tiger delivered a baby tiger). Quite depressed with these developments, other members consulted an astrologer. He told them that it is the punishment for insulting a devotee of Lord Ayyappa and the only solution is to offer one hundred and one gold coins to Sabarimala. He also instructed that he should make arrangements for Brahmins to use the words “Kaduvayum Puliyum Pettu” frequently in front of him. King submitted the gold coins as instructed by the astrologer and he asked the poets of his court to pen down new songs where the words, “Kaduvayum puliyum pettu” is coming frequently. Brahmins used to sing that song even now.

Meanwhile, the prince of Pandalam completed his 12 days rituals. Although he promised his wife that he will return on the thirteenth day, he decided to be at Sabarimala as it was too late. In the sleep, he saw a Brahmin coming near him and reminding him about the promise he made to his wife. The Brahmin told him that there is a white horse outside his room and he can take it to reach at Kayamkulam palace early morning. Quite surprised by this, the prince came out and saw a white horse. He took the horse and reached Kayamkulam. As soon as he alighted from the horse it disappeared.

Everything went smoothly for quite some days and the day has reached when the prince was supposed to visit Sabarimala once again. He was quite sad with the feeling that he will have to part from his wife for over a week. On that night, the Brahmin again appeared in his dreams and consoled him saying that he did not have to come to Sabarimala. He also promised the prince that he will come at a place nearer to him. Believing that it was Lord Ayyappa who came in his dreams in the disguise of Brahmin, the prince dropped his plans to visit Sabarimala.

Kayamkulam King was a warrior and he used to conduct many competitions for warriors regularly. As usual, one such competition was organized on the next day. On that night, the Brahmin again came in the dreams of the prince and told him that he will also participate in the competition. The next day, the competition began and a tribal youth attracted everybody’s attention with his expertise in all types of weapons. Pleased with his expertise, the King asked him what he should present him to mark his respect. The youth replied that he will shoot an arrow and the king should provide him land around that for him. King agreed and the youth shootout an arrow. It went far. King sent his soldiers to find out the place where it has fallen down. The tribal youth and the prince also followed them.

By the sunset, they reached near the banks of a lake and found that the arrow has felled down on the island in the middle of the lake. As it was getting dark they decided to go there the next day morning. The next day morning, the tribal youth and the prince went there in a boat. As soon as they reached there the youth disappeared and to the astonishment of the prince he has found out that the boat they were traveling was a crocodile. When he was wandering on the island, a soldier of Kayamkulam came there and informed the prince that he has seen an idol of Lord Ayyappa there. When the prince accompanied the soldier, he saw the idol with the golden crown and necklaces which he has offered at Sabarimala.

At that time a Brahmin came there and asked him whether he is happy. He told the prince that he can visit here frequently instead of going to Sabarimala. The Brahmin also instructed that the wild animals living there are his subjects and nobody should disturb them, Instead he asked the prince to feed them properly. Kayakulam King, who reached there by this time has quite surprised by these happenings and he instructed to construct a bridge across the lake to reach this island. He also constructed forts around the island and a big temple in the center. Thus this place has come to be known as Sastham kotta or the fort of Lord Sastha or Lord Ayyappa.

Now there are no wild animals, but a lot of monkeys. Even now the devotees offer food to the monkeys to please the god. Vanarasadya or the feast to monkeys in Sasthamkotta is very famous.