[edit] Kottarakkara
Contrary to the suggestive feeling (implied from the name of the temple) that the deity of the Mahaganapthy Temple is Ganesh, the deity is actually Shiva. Nobody knows how this contrast happened. True to its deity, the temple was originally known as as Mahadedva temple. The temple has four other shrines – for Parvathi, Ayyappa, Muruga and Nagaraja. The prasadam (sanctified food) of this temple - unniappam – a soft and sweet rice delicacy is very famous. Vinyaka Chathurthi is celebrated as a festival in big scale. During this festival a grand homam (sanctified bonfire) is conducted and 10008 coconuts are given to the Lord as offering. The annual festival on the day of Medam Thiruvathira (Shiva’s birth star) (April/May) is sponsored by devotees. The highlight of this festival is a procession by hundreds of ornamented elephants when thousands of people assemble.
[edit] Kottarakkara Thampuran’s Museum of Classical Arts
Just 1.5 km away from Mahaganapathy temple, located. Presently the museum is only for name sake. A small and cramped house exhibits life-sized statues with various disguises and attires of Kathakali. Kottarakkara is the birth place of this Kerala dance form and the founder of the art is Kottarakkara Thampuran. The Kathakali apart, there are statues, disguises and attires of Mohiniyattam, Kudiyattam, Bharatanattyam, Kuchipudi etc. An old maintenance-ignored Tanjore Veena is also there in the display.
The museum will shortly get a face-lift and additions of displays as the government has decided to spend for it.
Veluthampi Smarakam (memorial) is also a highlight of Kottarakkara. Veluthampi was a great warrior (1765-1809) of Dewan of Tranvancore.
