About this destination
Discover Sasthamkotta Sree Dharmasastha Temple
At a glance
Why this place stands out
An ancient Dharmasastha temple beside Sasthamkotta Lake in Kollam, known for Ayyappa worship, resident monkeys, Vanara Sadya and its annual Kumbham festival.
Sasthamkotta Sree Dharmasastha Temple is an ancient Sastha shrine at Sasthamkotta in Kunnathur taluk, Kollam district, Keralam. It stands beside Sasthamkotta Lake, widely recognised as Keralam's largest freshwater lake, giving the temple an unusually attractive natural setting. DTPC Kollam identifies it as one of the important old Sastha temples and highlights the long association between the shrine and the monkeys that live around the temple.
A distinctive custom, Vanara Sadya, involves feeding the monkeys as part of the temple tradition. The annual festival is observed for ten days during the Malayalam month of Kumbham, bringing a larger devotional atmosphere to the locality. At other times, visitors can appreciate the combination of temple architecture, lake views and everyday worship.
Because the surrounding monkeys are part of the living environment, visitors should avoid teasing or feeding them outside authorised practices and should follow temple and local safety guidance.
Nammude Keralam
