About Pothenkode ( Pothencode )

Pothencode, is a buzzling town and a developing area of Thiruvananthapuram District in the Indian state of Kerala. It is believed[by whom?] that the word Pothencode is derived from Budhencode. Spiritual leaders Brahmasree Jagadguru Swami Sathyananda Saraswathi, Sree Rama Dasa Mission, Karunakara Guru and founder of Punnyabhumi Daily hail from the village. Santhigiri Ashram is situated here. Pothencode is 18 km from East Fort. It is included in Pothencode Grama Panchayat and Kazhakkuttom Block Panchayat. Panimoola temple is situated 2 km from Pothencode. Rock cut temples are one of the main styles of Kerala architecture from the 7th to 9th centuries AD. This cave temple is found at the mid-height of the rock, facing south west. It has an oblong shrine, with rock-cut lingam, an ardhamondapa and pillared facade. There is a circular walkway inside the garbhagriha. The left wall of the ardhamondapa carries a Ganapathy figure and the right side is a local chieftain. The temple is dated to about 850 AD. The Department of Archaeology declared this temple a protected monument in 1965.