Kerala
The Shasta cult is particularly well developed in the state of Kerala. The earliest inscription to Shasta was made in 855 C.E by an Ay King at the Padmanabhapuram Sivan temple. Independent temples to Shasta are known from the 11th century C.E. Prior to that, Shasta veneration took place in the temples of Shiva and Vishnu, the premier gods of the Hindu pantheon. Since late medieval times, the warrior deity Ayyappa, whose cult has become very popular in the 20th century, has been identified with the Shasta cult as well.
Read more about this topic: Shasta (deity)