Chottanikkara Temple is a popular temple of Kerala. The temple is located near the city of Ernakulam in the state. Goddess Rajarajeswari is the presiding deity of the shrine who is worshiped in the temple in three forms- Saraswathy in the morning, Lakshmi in the afternoon and Durga in the evening. Lord Mahavishnu is also worshiped in the shrine and his idol is located next to the idol of the goddess. So the goddess is also known as Ammenarayana, Devinarayana, Lakshminarayana and Bhadrenarayana also. Other heavenly deities worshiped in the temple are Lord Brahma, Shiva, Ganesha, Subramanya and Sastha. The peaceful ambiance of the temple offers peace in plenty.
People suffering from various mental illnesses come to this temple, as it is believed that Goddess Bhagawati blesses her devotees and cure them of their illnesses. There is a special 'Guruthi Puja' performed in the temple in the evening to invoke the goddess. This ritual is performed on daily basis.
The image of the goddess is of laterite ( a reddish soil formed by the decomposition of the underlying rocks). The image is irregular in shape and is covered with a golden kavacam. The festival of 'Makom Thozhal' ( worship on the Makom day) is celebrated with great enthusiasm in the month of February/ March every year in the Chottanikkara Temple.