Thirumoozhikkulam Lakshmana Perumal Temple in Kerala's Ernakulam district enshrines a form of Vishnu that is unique in the entire Divya Desam canon — Lord Lakshmana, the devoted younger brother of Rama, as the presiding deity. While all Divya Desams enshrine Vishnu in his various forms and avataras, Lakshmana as the primary deity is found only here, making Thirumoozhikkulam extraordinarily rare and significant. The deity's form as Lakshmana represents Vishnu's manifestation as the ideal of devoted service and fraternal love. Lakshmana abandoned the comforts of the palace and the love of his own wife Urmila to serve his brother Rama in the forest for fourteen years. His selfless dedication is considered the highest ideal of service (seva) in Hindu tradition, and worshipping him here is believed to cultivate those same qualities in devotees. The temple follows the Kerala style of architecture with a distinctive circular inner sanctum (sreekovil) and traditional copper-covered roof. The surrounding landscape of coconut groves and the proximity of the Periyar River create a setting of serene natural beauty that enhances the spiritual atmosphere. The temple tank (theertham) is considered especially sacred and devotees bathe here before entering the sanctum.

After the Lanka war and Rama's triumphant return to Ayodhya, Lord Lakshmana desired to continue his life of service and devotion beyond the boundaries of the Ramayana story. Lord Vishnu granted Lakshmana this wish by manifesting at Thirumoozhikkulam in the form of Lakshmana — ensuring that this ideal of devoted service would be eternally available for devotees to worship and emulate. The Alvar saints who sang the Divya Prabandham recognized this manifestation as a complete expression of Vishnu's divine nature — the same supreme consciousness that manifests as all of Rama's companions and divine family. Thirumoozhikkulam thus celebrates not just Lakshmana personally but the entire tradition of devoted service that he represents. Local traditions associate the temple tank with miraculous healing. Devotees who bathe in the sacred waters and pray to Lakshmana Perumal report relief from long-standing ailments. The story goes that a local devotee suffering from a severe skin disease was directed in a dream to bathe in the Thirumoozhikkulam tank — and was completely healed after doing so. This tradition of healing miracles has sustained the faith of pilgrims across generations.

Thirumoozhikkulam is one of the thirteen celebrated Divya Desams of Kerala, representing Vishnu's comprehensive grace across the Malayalam-speaking lands. As the only temple in the entire Divya Desam tradition dedicated to Lakshmana as the presiding deity, it occupies a singular position in Vaishnava sacred geography. The Kerala Divya Desams together constitute the "Pancha Kerala Divya Desams" tradition — a pilgrimage circuit of the five most significant Vishnu temples in Kerala, within which Thirumoozhikkulam holds an honored place. Completing this circuit grants the combined blessings of all the divine manifestations of Vishnu across Kerala. The proximity to Cochin (Ernakulam) makes Thirumoozhikkulam accessible to large numbers of pilgrims. The temple administration maintains the ancient ritual traditions of Kerala Vaishnavism with strict adherence to the Tantric traditions specific to Kerala temples. The annual Tiru Onam festival, celebrating the return of the mythical King Mahabali, brings the entire community together in devotion.