Vaikom in Kottayam district of the southern state of India, Kerala, is one of the
main pilgrim centres of the south. Famous for the Vaikkath Asthami celebrations
in November/December, it is one of the few temples which is held in reverence by
both Shaivaites and the Vaishnavaites. Vaikkom’s Shiva is fondly called Vaikkathappan.
The Shiva Linga here is believed to be from the ‘Treta yuga’ and considered as one
of the oldest temples in Kerala where pooja has not been broken since inception.