The list of
108 Sastha temples consecrated by Lord Parasurama in Kerala and
brief note of Sabarimala temple
By
P.R.Ramachander
Lord Parasurama
who was the founder of Kerala is supposed to have
consecrated 108 , Sastha(Not Ayyappa) temples in Kerala. The list is given
below.
List of 108 Sastha Temples in Kerala
The present Sabarimala temple is one of them. .It is believed prince
Ayyappa of Pandalam ,
after refusing to become king of
Pandalam is supposed to have come to this ancient temple of Lord Sastha and meditated here. As he was an incarnation
of God Sastha, he became one with the idol at the temple . That is possibky the reason that this temple is called
as a temple of Lord Ayyappa as well as the temple of Sastha .
According to
Legends Dharma Sastha , the Bhootha nadha
rode on an elephant with staff,
rope , goad anf spear, while Lord
Ayyappa rode on a black tiger and was
armed with bow and arrow.. It is
believed that Lord Ayyappa was originally having 18 weapons , which he left as 18 steps
before entering the Sastha temple. In
that temple he has only two hands is unarmed .He wears dress like the sanyasis
with dress going up to just below the
knee.By his left hand he shows Chin mudhra and the right hand he folds up to
his chest. Very near his temple is the temple of Malika purathamma , who is the Yakshi who was cursed to become
the Rakshasi called Mahishi , Lord Ayyappa had promised her that the year no First time Ayyappa(Called Kanni
ayyappa) commes to SAbari mala and puts
an arrow on the Saram kuthiyal , he will marry her. So every year after the
Annual Sabari mala Pilgrimage is
over , She comes on an elephant to saram
Kuthiyal and goes back disappointed as many Kanni Ayyappa has come there. . In
her temple compound , There is one Kadutha Sami (called Chiriya Kadutha
swami) to guard her. Just below the Pathinettam Padi , there are
temples for Vavar as well as Another Kadutha Swami who are supposed to screen the pilgrims trying to climb the eighteen steps without observing the required penance .
