Malamakaavu Lord Sastha temple, Palakkad

The Malamakaavu Lord Sastha temple is situated around 15 km south west of Pattambi town in Palakkad district. The temple is dedicated to Lord Sastha. Lord Shiva, Sree Prabha, Sree Satyaka, Lord Ganapathy, Sree Rudra Mahakalan, Sree Vettakorumakan and Sree Kodungalloor Bhagavathi are also worshipped at the temple. The Thalappoli festival in the Malayalam month of Dhanu is an important festival of the temple.

Rare flower

The temple is famous for Chengazhineer flower, the flower of a type of red water lily. The flower, said to smell like Sougandhika flower, is exclusively used for important temple rites including the idol installation.

The water lily is grown in two kokkaranis, deep rock pits, on the northern and southern sides of the temple. The flowers are considered to be divine blooms by the devotees and are plucked only for the temple rites. The flower which has takers from even faraway places is given to those coming with a letter from the thantri (chief priest) of the respective temple. Those designated by the thantri should take vruta and reach the temple on the previous day. In normal days no flower is seen in the kokkaranis. Devotees say the flower will bloom if a genuine taker arrives.