It is popular among devotees for the Chamayavilakku festival. Step foot on the temple grounds during the festival and you will be greeted by a group of stunning young women. On close inspection, you’ll find that these beautiful women are actually men dressed so as part of an unusual temple ritual during the festival. It is the only temple in India to follow this unusual custom.
These male participants carry lamps and walk in a procession to the temple accompanied by a traditional orchestra. The Chamayavilakku procession takes place in the Malayalam month of Meenam which falls in March. The kuruthola pandal and jeevatha ezhunnallathu are two additional highlights at the Kottankulangara Sree Bhagavathy temple. The festival also has cultural activities and finishes with a fireworks display. The temple's distinctive architecture features a sanctum without a roof. The temple has a pond called Bhoothakulam.
