Places of Worship in Kumily & Thekkady

Churches, temples and mosques in and around Kumily — with worship timings, addresses and how to reach them.

Kumily and Thekkady are home to people of many faiths. Whether you’re a pilgrim, a curious visitor or a long-time resident, this page lists the active places of worship around town with their service times. Please verify timings locally as schedules change for festivals and special occasions.

⛪ Churches

Christian places of worship in Kumily and nearby.

Lourdes (Kumily Palli) Roman Catholic Latin Church

📍 Kumily town · Diocese of Vijayapuram · Established 1928

The Roman Catholic Latin Church serving Kumily and surrounding areas. Active parish with weekly mass schedule and special novenas.

Mass timings:
Sunday: 7:30 AM & 9:30 AM
Weekdays: 6:30 AM · Adoration 7:00 AM Mass
Tuesday: Novena to Saint Antony
Saturday: Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help

More churches coming: Kumily & Thekkady also have CSI, Pentecostal, Marthoma and Syro-Malabar churches. If you’d like your parish listed here, contact us.

🛕 Temples

Hindu temples in the Thekkady region.

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Mangaladevi Kannagi Temple

📍 ~15 km from Thekkady, inside Periyar Tiger Reserve · Altitude 1,337 m · ~2,000 years old

Ancient temple believed to have been consecrated around the 1st–2nd century CE by the Chera king Chenguttuvan. Dedicated to Goddess Kannagi (heroine of the Tamil epic Cilappatikaram). Located on the Kerala–Tamil Nadu border inside Periyar Tiger Reserve.

Open to public: Only on Chitra Pournami day (April/May full moon) each year. Prior permission required from the Wildlife Warden at Thekkady. Special prayers conducted jointly by Kerala & Tamil Nadu priests.

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Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha Temple

📍 Western edge of Periyar Tiger Reserve · accessed via Pamba

One of the most visited pilgrim centres in India, dedicated to Lord Ayyappan. Although the temple itself is reached from Pamba (~70 km from Thekkady), it sits inside the same forest range that forms Periyar Tiger Reserve.

Open: Mandala Pooja (mid Nov to end Dec), Makaravilakku (mid Jan), monthly first 5 days of each Malayalam month, and Vishu festival (April). Closed at other times. Strict 41-day vratham required for male pilgrims.

More temples coming: Kumily has local Devi, Krishna and Ayyappa temples. Listings are being verified locally before adding. If you know one to include, let us know.

🕌 Mosques

Muslim places of worship in Kumily.

Listings being collected: Kumily has a Juma Masjid and other local mosques serving the community. We are verifying names and prayer times locally before publishing. If you’d like a mosque added, please contact us with the name and address.

📌 Worship etiquette for visitors

Dress modestly — shoulders and knees covered at temples and mosques
Remove footwear before entering any place of worship
Hindu temples often restrict non-Hindus or have specific entry rules — check at the gate
Mosques may have separate prayer times for visitors vs Friday Jumu’ah
Photography may be restricted inside — always ask permission first
Speak quietly; mobile phones on silent

Note: All worship timings should be confirmed locally before visiting, especially during festival seasons when schedules change. ThekkadyGuide.com is an independent information service.