Chottanikkara Temple: Timings, Guruthi Pooja and How to Get There

The Chottanikkara Bhagavathy Temple opens at 4 am (3.30 am on Fridays and during the Mandalam season), reopens for the evening at 4 pm, and sits about 15 km from Ernakulam Junction railway station. The easiest way there from the city is the Kochi Metro to Thrippunithura Terminal, then a short auto or bus ride.

• What are the timings of Chottanikkara temple?
• Why is Chottanikkara temple famous?
• What is the Guruthi pooja?
• How do I reach Chottanikkara temple from Ernakulam?
• When is Makam Thozhal?

What are the timings of Chottanikkara temple?

The temple's own schedule, as published on its website:

Time	What happens
4:00 am (3:30 am Fridays and Mandalam season)	Nada opens, Nirmalya darshan
5:00 to 5:45 am	Ethruthu pooja
7:00 to 8:00 am	Pantheeradi pooja
7:30 am	Guruthi at the Kizhukavu temple
11:00 to 11:30 am	Ucha pooja
4:00 pm	Nada reopens for the evening
After 6:00 pm, by sunset	Deeparadhana
7:00 pm	Guruthi at the Kizhukavu temple
7:00 to 7:30 pm	Athazha pooja
After 8:30 pm	Valiya Guruthi at the Kizhukavu temple

Visitor listings give the hours as 4 am to noon and 4 pm to 8 pm, with the late Guruthi running after that, so do not turn up at 2 pm. For poojas and offerings the temple lists 0484 2711032, and it takes online bookings at booking.chottanikkarabhagavathy.org.

Why is Chottanikkara temple famous?

It is one of the most significant of the 409 temples run by the Cochin Devaswom Board. Kerala Tourism dates it to the 10th century CE. The deity, Rajarajeswari, is worshipped in three forms through the day; according to Kerala Tourism, Saraswathi in the morning, Lakshmi at noon and Durga in the evening. The idol is a self-manifested laterite formation rather than a carved image.

The temple is best known for the belief that the goddess can cure mental illness, and families bring relatives here for that reason. Keep that in mind when you visit: some of the people around you are there in real distress, not as sightseers.

What is the Guruthi pooja?

Guruthi is held at the Kizhukavu, the lower shrine within the temple complex, and the big one, the Valiya Guruthi, starts after 8:30 pm. The offering is a red liquid made from turmeric and lime. If you want to see it, plan for a late evening and a late ride home; this is the part of the day when the temple is at its most intense.

How do I reach Chottanikkara temple from Ernakulam?

• Metro plus auto: take the metro to Thrippunithura Terminal, the southern end of Line 1, which opened on 6 March 2024 beside Tripunithura railway station. From there, take an auto or a bus on to Chottanikkara; it is a short ride. See our metro fares guide for what the ride costs.
• By road: about 15 km from Ernakulam Junction by cab, through Thrippunithura.
• Bus: buses run to Chottanikkara from the Thrippunithura side; the town is used to pilgrim traffic.

The obvious pairing is Thrippunithura itself. The Hill Palace museum is close by, and our Thrippunithura neighbourhood guide covers where to eat. For a calmer visit, go on a morning other than Tuesday or Friday: those two days are considered especially auspicious, the nada opens at 3:30 am on Fridays, and festival days are a crush. More ideas in Things To Do.

When is Makam Thozhal?

Makam Thozhal, the temple's most important festival, falls on the Makam star in the Malayalam month of Kumbham, which lands between mid-February and mid-March. It draws thousands of devotees from across Kerala and beyond, so either go for the occasion or avoid it entirely.

2026 dates (from the temple website)
Annual Ulsavam	24 February to 5 March 2026
Makam Thozhal	2 March 2026

Check chottanikkarabhagavathy.org for the following year's dates, which move with the Malayalam calendar. Timings above are as published in October 2026.