Kottayam

It was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Vadakkumkoor which was annexed to Travancore in 1754 by Marthanda Varma. The first Sandesha Kavyam in Malayalam called “Unnuneeli Sandesham” gives an idea of the history of the town. It is believed that the author was a member of one of the royal families of Travancore. The works describe in detail the great port of the city, although the sea is now several miles away and it has receded in the fourteenth century, probably after an earthquake or tsunami.
According to legend, Khara, asura of Ramayana, performed a strict penance for Lord Shiva. The impressed Lord appeared before Him and blessed Him with boon three Siva Lingas. Khara grabbed Lingas, one in each hand and the third in his mouth, and traveled across the sky to the south. On the way he was submerged by the weight of the lingas he was carrying and was therefore forced to go down and rest for a while. He placed the Linga in his right hand on the Earth while resting. When he resumed, he tried to eliminate the Linga, but all his efforts were in vain. He left the Linga in Vaikom and moved on. After traveling for a while, he installed the Linga in his left hand at Ettumanoor and the third at Kaduthuruthy, halfway between the two places. It is believed that one should have Darshan in these temples, which is very conducive.

The Adhishtana (Plinth) is of the Pratibandha type ending with the Pattika under the Vedi. The murals on the walls are believed to have belonged to the late 16th century C.E. On the interior, the shrine is properly set within the four outer walls with a narrow passage around. The inner shrine has its own circular sikhara piece in brick and plaster. The Namaskaramandapam, Nalambalam and the Agramandapam are located inside the main temple complex. The subshrine of Nagar along with hundreds of Nagar idols are kept in the open in the West of the main temple complex. There is a temple tank too. The temple is being managed by a Trust known as Pundareekapuram Dewaswom.