Tirtha Atlas

The sacred geography of the Indic world — every site mapped, dated, storied, and cited.

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Early medieval · Hindu · India

Kottukal Cave Temple

Kottukkal, Anchal, Kollam district, Kerala · 8.8896°, 76.9052°

Shiva (lingam), with Ganapathy and HanumanNedumchadayan (local ruler)Rock-cut
Sacred since
600 CE
first attestation / structure
Standing structure
7th c. (rock-cut)
Nedumchadayan (local ruler)

History & significance

A rock-cut shrine near Anchal in Kollam district, two chambers hewn under a single boulder with a monolithic Nandi, dated by historians to about the 7th century and credited to the ruler Nedila Paranthaka Nedumchadayan of Chadayamangalam. It is held to be contemporary with the Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram and is now served by the Travancore Devaswom Board.

Sthala katha — the legend

Local tradition says the great rock was carried to the spot by Shiva in his several forms, Nandi among them.

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Sources

coordinates: wikipedia-2026-08-27 · sources retrieved 2026-08-26 · dynasty page: Nedumchadayan (local ruler)