The Udayanapuram Subrahmanya Swamy Temple is located in Kottayam District, three kilometers north of Vaikom, where Lord Shiva, known reverentially to his devotees as Vaikathappan, is the presiding deity at the Vaikom Mahadeva Temple. According to ancient customs that continue to be followed today, the worship at Vaikom is considered complete only when the devotee takes darshan at the Udayanapuram temple and pays obeisance to Lord Subrahmanya, Shiva's son, who is enshrined there. In close proximity to these two temples, there is another temple known as the Bhagawathi Temple, located at Kumaranallur, about five kilometers away from Kottayam town, and it holds an interesting tale. Originally, more it is said that Madurai Meenakshi Amman was intended to take her abode at Udayanayakeepuram (present Udayanapuram), while Lord Subrahmanya was to be enshrined at the current Kumaranallur. This was the plan of the Chera King Neduncheralathan, who simultaneously built two temples at these distinct places - one for the Bhagawathi and the other for Skanda, the son of Lord Shiva. However, during the enshrinement of Lord Subrahmanya at Kumaranallur, the priests heard a divine voice from the air, stating, "Do not install Lord Karthikeyan in this temple; this is not his abode." The oracle vanished, leading to a sudden change in plans. The reason for this twist can be attributed to the actions of the Pandiyan King, who ruled the Pandya Kingdom at that time. According to legend, the Pandiyan King was searching for a missing nose ring of the Madurai Meenakshi Amman. In his desperation, he declared that if the culprit was not found within forty-one days, the head priest would be beheaded. The terrified head priest prayed to the deity, and in his dream, a beautiful lady instructed him to follow a beacon of light that would lead him to safety. He followed the instructions, and on the forty-first day, both the beacon of light and the head priest arrived at the temple in Kumaranallur. The light entered the sanctum sanctorum and vanished, which was believed to be Madurai Meenakshi Amman herself protecting her devotee. The Udayanapuram Subrahmanya Swamy Temple conducts an elaborate Bhagawathi Seva daily, in conjunction with this incident. The temple is not an architectural marvel but resembles the structure of Vaikom Mahadeva Temple. The sanctum sanctorum is a double-storied square structure with a four-foot-tall idol of Lord Subrahmanya Swamy facing the east, surrounded by wooden sculptures of elephants supporting the superstructure. The spacious namaskara mandapa, balikalpura, and srikovil are adorned with beautiful carvings and paintings, depicting the temple's periodicity and the entire story of the Ramayana. The significance of the Udayanapuram temple lies in the Vaikathu Ashtami festival, which falls on the 12th day of the annual festival in the month of Scorpio. During this festival, around 8:30 P.M., Lord Shiva emerges from his abode at Vaikom Mahadeva Temple, majestically seated on a well-adorned caparisoned elephant, and circumambulates one prakara of his temple. Then, he awaits the arrival of his son, Lord Subrahmanya, from Udayanapuram, at the eastern Gopuram. The moment Lord Subrahmanya arrives, all musical instruments cease, creating a pin-drop silence. The Veekan Chenda sounds intermittently to keep the elephants awake, and there are cultural performances on the stage to entertain the faithful. Around 10 P.M., the procession of Lord Subrahmanya from Udayanapuram begins, accompanied by Koottummel Bhagawati and Sree Narayana Puram Devan, and they arrive near the northern end of Vaikom Temple. One of Lord Subrahmanya's emissaries informs his father about his arrival. Around 1:30 A.M., the procession enters Vaikom Temple, and after circumambulating the temple once, father and son meet at the Eastern Gate, marking a significant moment during the festival.