In ancient periods, King or local chieftains are owned and administered temples. Some of the temples were owned by madams, tharawads or individuals. Some of the temples in the district are owned by the Poonjar Royal dynasty. The Thodupuzha region was governed by Vadakkumkur Rajas before it was annexed to the erstwhile princely state of Travancore. The temples which were under the control of Vadakkumkur Rajas were also transferred to Travancore. The area spreading from Kanyakumari at south to Angamali at north was under the regency of Maharaja of Travancore. During the regime of Regent Rani Gouri Lekshmi Bai (1810-1815), foreign supremacy was at its peak and Col. Munro, the British Resident brought all the 1471 temples of Travancore under the control of Government. In 1904, Travancore Religious & Endowment Regulation established control over the temples. In 1922 a separate department was formed exclusively to look after the matters of temples. After independence the Government of Travancore–Cochin formed Travancore Devaswom Board and Cochin Devaswom Board and administrative control of the temples have been transferred to the Devaswom Boards. Travancore Devaswom Board controls 35 temples in the district. Majority of temples in the district are governed by Trusts, committees of local people, spiritual organizations, individuals etc.