Sastha Temples 93
Annanad Veluppilly Sree Dharma Sastha temple is located at Annanad in Thrissur district, Kerala. The temple is dedicated to Ayyappa or Dharmasastha. The annual festival in the temple is held on Uthram nakshatra in Kumbha Masam and is famous as Uthra vilakku.
The sankalpam of the deity worshipped in the temple is that of Bala Sastha – child form of Sastha.
The annual festival is famous for caparisoned elephants, melam and fireworks. Pujas and rituals, Annayottu (feeding of elephants), sadhya, kazhcha seeveli, nadaswaram, melam,niramala, chuttuvilakku, thayambaka are part of the festival. Uthram Vilakku ezhunellippu and Panchavadyam at midnight are the main highlight of the annual festival.
The shrine observes the annual Mandala Kalam. Ramayana Masam is another important holy period in the shrine.