Origin & History

The powerful deity was received for the first time in the Malayalam year 1057 (more than 125 years ago) on the second Monday in the month of Mesha, by the Panthalam temple priest Kunnamparambath Raman Namboothiri. On that auspicious and historical day, he had just finished breakfast with the then King of Panthalam at the palace. The King and the priest were more than intimate friends and their discussion that fateful morning touched many topics. They were discussing about the treatment of convulsions vis-à-vis devotion and prayers to Lord Siva. The King’s attention then fell on the little Siva lingam the priest used to always carry with him.

His majesty was inspecting the Siva lingam when an attendee arrived announcing that a Gosai, a travelling trader from North India, was waiting to see the King. He was ordered in and after exchanging greetings, the Gosai took out two Siva lingams from his bundle and requested the King to buy one of them. The King selected one of the lingams and paid the Gosai. He was just leaving when the King smilingly looked at the priest who seemed most attracted to the other Siva lingam. Knowing his friend’s desire, the King ordered Gosai to hand over the other lingam to the priest, which he did with utmost joy and reverence. The Gosai also explained to them the special and auspicious nature of these Siva lingams. The Gosai affirmed to the priest that to have such a special lingam was a good fortune and will bring all prosperities to him and his family.

The King constructed a sanctum sanctorum for the new Siva lingam near the Vishnu temple at Panthalam. Hundreds of thousands of Sabarimala pilgrims passing by Panthalam every year make it a point to regularly visit this Siva temple and offer their prayers. Kunnamparambath Raman Namboothiri carried his new possession back to Muppathadom, his family house of Kunnam Parambath and placed it with the other small deities used by the family for regular prayers. However, it so happened that the part of the family house where the deities were kept, caught fire one day and the deities were transferred to a safer place. On consulting the famous astrologer Thalakkulath Bhattathiri, it was revealed that this Baana lingam needs to be placed not in the house, but in a proper temple. The astrologer also confirmed that there was nothing to worry about the gutted mana which will soon be reconstructed in a better shape, and also that a proper temple will take shape for Lord Siva very soon.

Raman Namboothiri returned home happily, but with a little anxiety. He then discussed the matter with his elder brother Parameswaran Namboothiri and jointly decided to safe keep the Siva lingam at the nearby Kainikkara temple. So the deity was shifted to a temporary shed at Kainikkara temple and regular offerings of dhaara, pooja, pushpanjali etc. were made. However, it so happened that this temporary shed also caught fire and the priest rushed in to the fire and saved the lingam. The other priests, who were until then offering regular prayers to the lingam became a little anxious about the safety of the temple after this incident. They were discussing with the bewildered Raman Namboothiri in front of the temple when the head Swami of Thrikkazhikkattu madam arrived there and on listening to the predicament of Namboothiri , offered to safe keep the lingam at the madam until a proper temple is constructed.

After about six months a rich family of Edappally, known as Krishnath Puthanveedu alias Chettakkal Veedu visited the famous astrologer Thalakkulath Bhattathiri, seeking remedy for a family problem. The astrologer explained that the family should construct a Siva temple in order to find solutions to their problem; he also informed them of the deity at Muppathadom waiting for such a temple. The rich family immediately visited Kunnamparambath and offered to construct the temple. In no time, a proper temple was constructed and the Siva lingam was installed in it. After that the holy presence of Kailasapathi,Sadasivamoorthy Lord Siva at the temple used to be known as Sri Chandrasekharapurathappan and later the temple as Dakshinakailasam.

The ancient temple was reconstructed in the month of May 1970 under the leadership of Sri Ambatt Ramakrishnan Nair of Sri Chinmaya Mission. The temple trust manages the temple activities now and devotees from all walks of life visit the temple regularly and offer their prayers.
2010 onwards, the annual festival of the temple is being started on the thiruvaathira star of dhanu.
* The history of the temple is briefly recorded here as narrated by the temple thanthri Brahmasree K.P. Parameswaran Namboothiri, who is also the Patron of the temple trust.