Sree Someswara Mahadeva Temple is one of 108 Temples of Siva in Kerala. God Someswarathappan blessed the devotees by granting their presence and facing east in the valley of Villuadri Mountain, endowed with natural beauty on the south coast of Bharathapuzha, which separates the boundary of the two districts of Thrissur and Palakkad.
The famous Pandavas stopped to celebrate the funerals of their relatives who died in the Mahabharata War and named Bharathapuzha after the name of the river. At the edge of the river, they performed some statues. They are Someshwaram, Ivor Madam and Kothakurssi. The legend of the three is the same. It is said that Bharatha is the river that Lord Parasurama brings to the Ganga River is an underground river. There are five bathing ghats in Bharatha. They are Thituvilluamala, Thirunjikkuzhi, Thruthala, Thirunavaya and Thirumittakkode. Both shores are superior and there are Harihara temples in this shoreline. The ghats from Thiruvilluamala to Bharatha are equivalent to those of the Manikarnnika of Varanasi. Pandas are believed to have crossed the Punarjani caves in the southeastern part of the temple (indebtedness to Nalangal Krishnappilla). The statue of Sri Someshwara linga is here in a sanctorum round, the Upadevas Unni Ganap – restored inside the temple and Sri Ayyappa and the Snakes outside the temple.
The yearly festivals are ‘Thiruvathira’ and ‘Maha Sivarathri’ in the Malayalam months of Dhanu and Kumbham. Dusk poojas are also a peculiarity. Here is an increase in the number of worshipers and in the income of the temple after the reconstruction of the temple. Parakkottukavu Devaswam is the principality under the control of Cochin Devaswam Board. The use of musical instruments happens only in peculiar occasions in this temple where ‘Nivedyapooja’ performs twice everyday. There is no stable flag-mast and the temple ritual ‘Seeveli’ here. The current priest in this temple is Venkittaraman Embranthiri. His father and grand father were former priests of this temple. The service in the temple are performed by Ukkathu Varriars. The present servant is Sarojini vaarasyar. Her mother and grand mother were the former servants of this temple.
