Over 300 years ago, a group of enterprising men from Kallidaikurichi, a village in Tirunelveli district, set out to improve their material prospects by establishing businesses. Kallidaikurichi, located on the banks of the Thamirabarani River, was home to the Karandhaiyar Palayam Samooham. This community originated the tradition of Sastha Preethi, a festival dedicated to Lord Sastha, the beloved deity of the Chera and Pandya kingdoms. The village had a Sastha temple, where Lord Manikandan, during his human incarnation, visited the home of an old couple. Pleased with their hospitality, the Lord became known as "Kambankudi Daasan," and thus began the celebration of Sastha Preethi through the Kambankudi more family. When the Karanthaiyar Palayam Samooham migrated to Kerala for a new life, Lord Sastha guided them through hardships. Initially settling between Mavelikkara and Kayamkulam, they later moved to Mattancherry, invited by the Raja of Cochin to establish their trade. As they settled in Cochin, the Cochin Karanthayar Palayam Mahasamooham was born, and the Raja allotted land for the construction of the Thekkemadom Dharma Sastha Temple. Located in Mattancherry, inside Cochin Island, the temple’s main shrine, known as Thekkethalam, houses the idol of Kurathooril Ayyan, Lord Dharmasastha. According to temple history, the people were troubled by a Yakshi, a female spirit, who lived in the area. Lord Sastha, assuming the form of a small boy, controlled the Yakshi and confined her to a Yakshi Kavu within the temple premises. After completing his mission, the Lord made Thekkethalam his permanent abode. The Thekkemadom temple has since become a serene place of worship, witnessing the growth of the community. The annual Sastha Preethi festival continues to be celebrated with devotion, just as it was in Kallidaikurichi. The temple, with its unique north-facing deity accompanied by Ganapati, Yakshi, Boothanatha, and a Shivalingam, stands as a testament to Lord Sastha's divine presence and the rich cultural heritage of the community.