Omallur Rakthakanda Swamy Temple

The Rakthakanda Swamy Temple at Omallur, known simply as the Omallur Temple, has a history going back to the 8th century AD. It lies 4 km south of Pathanamthitta town and is a stopping place for pilgrims on the route from Pandalam, birthplace of Ayyappan, to Sabarimala. A local story says the main deity came from Kalleli near Konni, where villagers threw it into the Achankovil river after losing a game of choothu.

The temple has a number of curious stone carvings, among them a nadaswaram and a chain both made of stone, and a golden flagstaff put up in 1952. Its best-known event is the ten-day festival in the month of Medom, organised by ten village communities, which includes an aarattu procession to the Achankovil with more than ten elephants in decorated headdresses.