Have you ever found yourself standing on the sacred riverside observing a forest coming forth to a ritually animated life, with each moment suspended in time? Everything has been stirred up there amidst the deep forest of the Kanur district of Kerala at Kottiyoor Temple. At this time of the year, in the Malayalam month of Edavam, the placid shores of the Bavali River are conferred holiness, along with their time-honored traditions, with the purpose of worship. It is an event under the name Kottiyoor Vysakha Mahotsavam (Kottiyoor Temple Festival), which lasts for 27 days, during which the festival sees throngs of devotees from all over Kerala and India. This colorful event will run from June 08th to July 04th in 2025, which you don’t want to miss.
The Sacred Twin Shrines of Kottiyoor Temple
Kottiyoor temple is known as Dakshina Kasi or “The Varanasi of the South” for good reason. Kottiyoor is comprised of two opposite-facing shrines: Ikkare Kottiyoor, which is the permanent temple on the western bank of the Bavali River, and Akkare Kottiyoor, which lies on the western bank in the forest, and is the seasonal shrine.
The temple is tied to one of the most profound stories of Hindu mythology: the Daksha Yaga. Supposedly, Sati Devi, wife of Lord Shiva, induced immolation in the audience on and for the audience of her father Daksha, who had slighted her as his daughter. The events that unfolded were pure cosmic chaos, the wrath of Lord Shiva, and subsequent divine redemption.
Vysakha Mahotsavam 2025: Dates and Ritual Highlights
The Vysakha Mahotsavam is unlike any temple festival celebrated in India. It begins with Neyyattam on June 8, 2025, which marks the beginning of the temporary Akkare Kottiyoor temple shrine. Then on June 9, the festival includes Bhandaram Ezhunnallathu, where the procession carries offerings from the temple to the shrine located in the forest.
After this, each ritual continues to follow specific stars and the time of day. Under the Thiruvonam star, women devotees are allowed to begin their journey to the shrine on June 15, and they can continue to go there until June 30 at noon. Other important dates include Ilaneer Vepp on June 17, where a tender coconut offering is performed, then Ilaneerattam on June 18 along with Ashtami Aradhana.
Between June 20 and June 28, pujas like Revathi, Rohini, Thiruvathira, and Punartham are done according to stars. June 30 features Makam Kalamvaravu, representing an important midday ceremony. The festival moves into its final phase with Atham Purappadu, Valattam, and Kalasha Pooja taking place on July 3, which leads into the grand conclusion called Thrikkalasattu on July 4, 2025.
Ritual in the Wild: Devotion in Nature’s Lap
What makes Kottiyoor unique is its raw and aboriginal expression of worship. This Akkare shrine does not consist of a ceiling, a stone sanctum, or any walls. The deity, a Swayambhu Shiva Linga, sits on a stone slab and has no mentionable boundary other than the pond enclosing the relic. Worshippers have to ford the Bavali River on foot and cross the river to enter this forest shrine, thus enacting a ritual that feels at once pre-civilized and supremely civilized.
During these 27 days, the permanent temple at Ikkare Kottiyoor, with its stone sanctum, roof, and walls, stays closed, and no pujas are held, allowing the entire spiritual attention to remain focused on the forest rituals.
The festival is a coming together of Shaivist, Vaishnavist, and Shakteya traditions, which is a rare combination of multiple strands of Hindu spirituality. The puja is performed with intensity, kindness, and community while conducting the puja to emphasize the space as extraordinary and the place as sacred.
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Kottiyoor Temple Darshan Timings : What to Know Before You Go
Visiting devotees should be aware that customs apply. Akkare Kottiyoor opens at approximately 5:00 am and closes at approximately 9:30 pm. There is an expectation for various forms of traditional dressing – men can wear a white mundu with no upper garments (but women should wear saree or pavada; more about that below), and photography, modern clothing (in the forest shrine) is prohibited.
Women can enter during the dates of June 10 until June 30 (noon) – this is customary to the temple’s stipulations.
While it is a forest shrine, the conveniences are in order; there is parking that is dedicated to over 2,000 cars, shelter camps called Kailasam, Gang, Mahadeva, and medical assistance centres.
Nearby Temples to Visit While at Kottiyoor temple
Your spiritual journey to Kottiyoor is not complete without these other spiritual sites, making your tour more meaningful. Kottiyoor has various other locations of spiritual significance, like the Mutherikavu Bhagavathy Temple, located less than 5 kilometers away.
The temple is available to calm the mind and make a strong contrast to Kottiyoor’s display of drama, a focal point to reflect and give thanks. You can also visit the Palchuram waterfalls nearby, rounding out your spiritual experience, blending nature with devotion.
Come, Be a Part of This Living Legacy
It is seldom that Kottiyoor Vysaka Mahotsavam is described as only a religious penchant for superstition in real time within a forest space that breathes history and sanctity. Be it the simple huts of palmyra, the self-manifested Shiva Linga, the calls of chanting crowds, or the cool waters of the Bavali river, everything is full of grace, rhythm, and intent.
Come and join the footsteps of the ancients this June. Whether you are looking for cleansing at a spiritual level, cultural enrollment, or something more, Kottiyoor will open your heart to you. To know more about sacred pilgrimages, age-old chants, and spiritual procedures concerning temples like Kottiyoor, continue to Hidden Mantra.. We provide insights into rituals, mantras, customs of the temple, and meditative practices related to your pilgrimage. Visit Hidden Mantra Blogs to read more about the power of mantras, temple-related stories, and rituals. Let your spiritual pilgrimage start in your soul and create more knowledge about it. Namaste!
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