Othera Puthukulangara Devi Temple

Othera Puthukulangara Devi Temple is an old Durga temple in Othera village, Thiruvalla taluk, Pathanamthitta district, with Chengannur the nearest town. Mahadevan, Dharma Sastha, Ganapathy, Yakshiamma and Brahmarakshas are also worshipped. A trust owns the temple and an elected committee runs it.

It is one of some thirty Durga temples in central Kerala that stage Padayani each year, here over ten days in Meenam (March to April), ending before Thiruvathira. At its heart is Kolam Thullal: dancers carry kolams, figures of gods and spirits painted with natural dyes on areca palm sheaths, to honour Bhadrakali. Many kinds appear, among them Yakshi, Pakshi, Madan, Marutha, Kalan and Bhairavi. The last day brings the Valia Kolam, a large Bhairavi, and the Chattathel Kolam, made of 1001 sheaths and too big to carry, so it is drawn round the temple on carts. No other temple is said to perform a kolam of this size.