Thamaramkulangara Sree Dharmasastha Temple, Cherai

History

The temple was initially owned by Morakkala Mana, but the prosperity of family was challenged and the day-to-day affairs were in question. The high priest finally approached the Maharajah of Cochin and handed the temple over to him in the 1930s. The King ordered the renovation of the temple and the Nithya Nidhanam (daily pooja) was funded by Nadumittom Devasom. This state of affairs continued with minor changes until the Fall of the Kingdoms when India got Independence. Again the temple affairs was in disarray. In 1953 the youth in and around the temple came together for the betterment of the temple, precincts and restart the temple festival. This movement strengthened up with time, involving in many activities. These people in 1963 formed the Thamaramkulangara Ayyapa Seva Samithy (TASS). TASS spearheaded a development campaign which drove a dramatic rise of the temple from obscurity to center stage of temple landscape in Ernakulam. In 1984 with others, the temple was transferred to Kerala Uranma Devaswom Board.