Bharata was the younger brother of Rama, the prince of Ayodhya. He has a special place in the Ramayana of Valmiki because of his single-minded devotion to his virtuous elder brother.

Bharata was not keen in getting any position or wealth and it is proved from his rejection of the kingdom of Ayodhya. There are lots of numbers of temples Rama with Sita along with Hanuman all over India. Most of these temples enshrine Rama along with all his brothers. But there is a unique temple in Kerala, where a separate shrine for Bharata can be seen. This temple is known as the Kutalmanikyam temple. This Bharata temple is situated in Irinjalakuda, twenty-one kilometers far from Trissur in Kerala. This temple is said to be the only one for Bharata in the whole of India. According to the legends, it is said that Bharata was anxiously waiting for Rama here. Rama was then returning from his exile and then later became happy on hearing the good news of Rama`s journey back to Ayodhya from Hanuman.

This Bharata temple is round in shape and had a copper plated roof. It is well known for its beautiful woodcarvings and sculptures. The idol of the temple is known as Sangameshwara or the God of Sangama. It is due to the reason that from ancient days this place Irinjalakuda was located at the meeting (satigamam) of two rivers, which have now changed course. One interesting characteristic of this temple is that there are no subsidiary shrines here for the other deities or upadevatas.

Inthis Bharata temple, only lotus, tulasi and chetti are offered to the image of the deity and no other flowers are allowed for worship. There is a tank in the temple and the water of it is considered to be very sacred with curative properties. It contains large number of fishes, which are also considered sacred. The feeding of these fishes (memuttu) is considered to be an act of special merit.

There are four vast tanks surrounding the Bharata temple of Kerala. The tank inside the compound is said to be consecrated by a sage named Kulipini Maharshi. The sage had performed yoga here and therefore this pond is known as Kulipini Theertham. It covers the entire north side of the temple.

There is an annual festival, which is celebrated every year for eleven days in the month of April/May. The festival is observed with the Uthiram to Tiruvonam asterism with much fanfare. During this festival, a procession of elephants is conducted and they are beautifully adorned with ornaments. The Triputtiri festival of Bharata temple is celebrated in the month of Thulam (October-November) with Tiruvonam asterism. It is a very important celebration associated with this temple. In this festival, newly harvested rice is cooked and offered to the deity. Then a feast is organised for the devotees. A special offering called `mukkidi` (an Ayurvedic preparation) is made on the next day. This offering is believed to be a great cure for all stomach related problems.