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Why to visit Kotukkal Cave Temple
The Kotthukkal Village near Anchal in Kollam, Kerala, is home to the stunning and tranquil rock-cut Kottukkal Cave Temple, also known as Kaltrikkovil in Malayalam. The temple, which is a superb example of the rock cut building common during the sixth and eighth centuries CE, is revered by both pious worshipers and students of architecture. According to local lore, Lord Shiva's avatars, including Nandi, moved the large rock that makes up a considerable portion of the temple to its current location.
History of the temple :
The Kottukkal Cave Temple is thought to have existed during the Pallava era in the eighth century BC, according to scholars and historians. However, other academics argue that the cave dates to a period between the sixth and eighth century A.D. In honour of Nedila Paranthaka Nedumchadayan, who governed Chadayamangalam between the sixth and seventh centuries AD, the third school of thought dates the event to the seventh century AD. The Travancore Devaswom Board is in charge of managing the cave and performing the daily pooja rituals in the temple. The Kottukal cave was declared to be a protected monument by the Kerala state government in 1966.
Two caverns make up the current configuration of the rock-cut temple, both of which face east. In between the two caverns is an idol of the presiding deity, Lord Ganpati. Additionally, the larger cave contains Nandi, and the smaller one contains an idol of Lord Hanuman. There is also a Shivalinga in the shrine. The only place in India where you may find this particular combination of Shivalinga, Nandi, and Hanuman is Kollam. The stunning temple is situated in the middle of a paddy field. The splendour of the cave temple is enhanced by the fact that, when seen from a distance, it appears to be an elephant resting.
