Kottarakkara

Kottarakkara (The Land of Palace) (Malayalam: കൊട്ടാരക്കര, IAST: Koṭṭārakkara) is a town located in Kollam District in Kerala state, India.

For many centuries, the city served as a place of residence for kings, hence the name "Kottarakara", which means "the land of the palace". (Kottaram means palace and Kara means land) The "Elayidath Swaroopam", a branch of the Travancore Royal family, was the last ruling family of the area, The last queen of the dynasty was defeated by King Marthanda Varma (a distant cousin of hers), in the 18th century and she fled to Cochin to seekt asylum with her allies, the Dutch. They pensioned her with 2 rupees and 5 annas. Later, during Tipu Sultan's invasion of Malabar, a Royal family from North Malabar was settled in Kottarakara by Dharma Raja. This family line became extinct in the mid 19th century.

Kottarakkara is seat of the famous Ganapati Temple. It is believed that the idol was sculptured by Perumthachan from the root of the jack tree. This temple is famous for its Unniappom. The temple festival is the largest festival in Kottarakara. The Padinjattinkara Mahadeva Temple is almost equally famous.