Kottukal cave temple, Kollam: History, Timings & Visitor Guide

Kottukal cave temple is open every day, usually from early morning to late evening with a break in the afternoon. Darshan and aarti timings change with the season and on festival days.

• MorningOpens early morning (around 5 to 6 AM)
• AfternoonShort break around midday at many temples
• EveningEvening aarti around sunset, closes by about 8 to 9 PM

Ask the temple office on arrival for the day's aarti schedule.

Dress Code & Temple Rules

• DressModest, traditional clothes covering shoulders and knees
• FootwearRemove before entering; use the shoe stand
• PhotographyNot allowed inside the sanctum
• Not AllowedLeather items, tobacco, alcohol, non-veg food
• QueueFollow queue lines and staff instructions on festival days

This Rock-cut temple is located with the geographic coordinates of 8°53′22.5″N 76°54′18.9″E at an altitude of about 72.53 m above the mean sea level.

the MC Road at Ayoor jn turn right, the road leading to Anchal, turn right at Anchal Kurishmoodu jn. then go through Kadakkal road via kottukal jn. (or)

From Kollam, local roads lead to Ayoor first and at Ayoor jn. turn to Anchal road and turn right at Anchal Kurshinmoodu jn. and turn right to Kadakkal road via Kottukal jn.

Architecture of Kottukal cave temple

The temple is made by carving out a gigantic piece of rock. This architectural is situated in the middle of paddy field and from a distance gives impression of a sleeping elephant. There are two 10 feet long and 8 feet wide rooms cut into the rocks and covered by a single rock overhead. The temple which has a Shiva linga flanked by Nandi and Sri Hanuman is believed to belong to the period of Pallava dynasty (8th century BC) and contemporaneous with the Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram near Chennai.