Chottanikkara town is a small town located 17 kms from Cochin. The most revered Chottanikkara Bhagawathy Temple of the town is one of the most celebrated shrines of the Hindus in Kerala. The presiding deity of the temple is Goddess Rajarajeshwari, also known by the name of Adiparashakti. This is basically a form of Goddess Durga Bhagawathy. The locals believe that the deity was brought from the Mookambika Temple in Kullur, Karnataka. It is situated in the southern suburb of the Kochi city. The deity is worshipped in three forms – Goddess Saraswati Maa, Goddess Laxmi Maa and Goddess Durga Maa. Maa term in Sanskrit & Hindi means ‘mother’. The Goddess Rajrajeshwari is worshipped as Goddess Saraswati Maa in the morning and she wears a white cloth.The same deity is worshipped in afternoon as Laxmi Maa, goddess of prosperity, and wears crimson red garment. The Goddess Rajrajeshwari is offered prayers in the evening as Durga Maa who wears a bright blue outfit. The form of Durga is a much milder form. There are various names given to the deity as Devi Narayana, Amme Narayana, Bhadre Narayana, and Lakshmi Narayana. Narayana (a name of Lord Vishnu) is attached with various godess forms because of an idol of Lord Vishnu placed in the same celestial as that of the Goddess Rajarajeshwari. Other Hindu deities like Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesh & Lord Dharmasastha (Ayyappa) are also worshiped here.