Kottarakkara Sree Mahaganapathy Kshethram
It is one of the old and famous pilgrim centre in South India. This Ganapati temple is located in Kottarakkara which is 25 km from Kollam.The deities of this temple are Parama Shiva,Parvati Devi, Sree Maha Ganapati, Sree Murukan, Sree Ayyappan, and Nagaraja. Even though main deity is Parama Shiva, main priority is given to Sree Maha Ganapati. The main offerings of the temple are Unni Appam and Pushpanjali.The thiruvathira festival at the famed Kottarakara Ganapathy temple is held in the Malayalam months Meenam/Medam (April). This well-known temple has a rare specialty that makes it different from many other ganapathy temples. The fact is this is a Siva temple, but it is not known by the principal deity's name. The principal deity here is Paramasiva having an eastward darshan and ganapathy is in fact an upadevan here. Moreover, the Ganapathy idol here was not installed according to the tantra rituals. Still people generally know this temple as a ganapathy temple. Legend has it that it was it was Perumthachan who installed the ganapathy idol here.

Perumthachan, the master craftsman had done the idol in wood and had seeked the permission of the tantri of Padinajarekkara temple to install the idol there. The tantri denied permission and that prompted Perumthachan to change his plans and later, having secured the permission of the tantri of Kizhakkekara temple installed the idol there. The melsanthi (head priest) was preparing neyvedyam (offerings for the Lord) there. Perumthachan had studied the place and had found it ideal to install the deity there in the southeast direction. He felt that it was like kailasa (abode of Lord Shiva). He had asked the head priest what the neyvedyam for ganapathy will be. The priest suggested unniyappam and Perumthachan readily agreed. It is said that Perumthachan immediately offered half a dozen unniyappams in a plantain leaf before the deity. And still, koottappam is considered the favourite neyvedyam of ganapathy.

Perumthachan had then predicted that even though the principal deity is father (Siva), the son (Ganapathy)will become more famous. Now, Kizhakkekara siva temple is known as Kottarakkara ganapathy temple. The festival concludes with an arat (procession) and the active participation of the devotees and the local people make it the grand success.

Pentecostal Movement in India
One of the unique points of modern history tied to Thrikkannamangal is that it served as the launching pad for the Pentecostal movement that has now spread throughout India. The American missionary, Robert F. Cook, was received into Kottarakara by the late Kalloor Chacko, one of the patriarchs of the Kalloor family in Kottarakara. Beginning his work in Thrikkannamangal, Cook later moved to Mulakuzha and established the headquarters of the Church of God in India there. The founders of the India Pentecostal Church as well as many other Pentecostal organizations were co-workers with Cook in the early days, before going separate ways for political or doctrinal reasons. The oldest registered Pentecostal church in India is located in Thrikkannamangal.