Sreenarayanapuram Temple

Introduction to the Sreenarayanapuram Temple

Sreenarayanapuram Temple is an ancient temple in Manakkala Village, Adoor, Kerala. This 18th-century temple is one of the main temples in Kerala and is dedicated to Maha Vishnu. The Sreenarayanapuram Temple Trust maintains it.

Legend of the Sreenarayanapuram Temple

According to legend, Sage Parasurama created Kerala by reclaiming the land from the Arabian Sea. It was he who constructed the Sreenarayanapuram Temple. He performed a Yagna at this site and consecrated Vishnu's idol here.

The Architecture of the Sreenarayanapuram Temple

The Sreenarayanapuram Temple is built in the Kerala architectural style with tiles. It sprawls over a large area. A simple temple gate guards the temple from trespassers. One can find many trees in the temple's grounds.

Chembu Dhwajam (Copper Dhwaja Sthambam) and a Deepa Sthambam are before the sanctum. A steel gate covers the Dhwaja Sthambam. Anappanthal (caparisoned elephant stands bearing the idol of the deity) and Balikkalpura are other structures of the temple. Many cultural programs are also conducted in the Anappanthal. Lights are set around the temple wall. There is a vast hall where devotees sit and perform rituals. The Chuttambalam of the temple is wide enough for circumambulation.

The temple's sanctum (Sreekovil) is round and covered with copper plates. The hall's walls before the sanctum are sculpted with all ten avatars of Maha Vishnu. The main deity, Maha Vishnu, stands in the sanctum in a standing posture with four arms and facing east. He holds the Shanku (conch), Chakra (disc), Gada (Mace), and the Lotus flower in his hands.

Festivals in the Sreenarayanapuram Temple

The major annual festival at the Sreenarayanapuram Temple is the Dasavatara Charthu. During this 10-day festival, each avatar of Maha Vishnu is revered with special prayers, rituals, and offerings. Huge crowds throng the temple and celebrate the festival with great pomp.

Pallivetta

The Pallivetta ritual represents the struggle between good and evil. It is a representation of the deity hunting down the demon and emerging victorious.