Ananthapura Lake Temple

Historical and specialty information for this listing.

History

The Ananthapura Lake Temple in Kumbala, is widely considered to be the 'moolasthanam' of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple. The temple is situated on a small rocky island in the middle of a permanent freshwater lake. According to local tradition, the 9th-century monk Vilvamangalam Swamyyar meditated here and attained divine vision. The first structure of the temple is believed to have been built in the early medieval period.Later, the Kumbala and Mayippadi kings carried out development work in the temple. The wooden wall paintings (murals), believed to have been made in the 18th century, were once damaged in a fire but were later restored. It is generally believed to date back to the 9th century. Several renovations have since taken place. The wooden paintings and sculptures depicting the Dashavatara stories are the main attractions of the temple. Another legend is about a herbivorous crocodile called “Babiya”. This crocodile has been living in the temple lake for generations and is considered the natural protector of the temple. It is also believed that it eats only the food offered by the temple.

Remarks

The temple is located in the middle of a lake and can be accessed via a bridge. The calm and peaceful atmosphere is perfect for a spiritual experience. The Kumbala Railway Station is also located nearby, about 5 km away. In addition, the beliefs associated with the crocodile also attract special attention of the visitors here.

According to a popular legend, Balakrishna was once playing with Vilvamangalam Swamiyar inside a cave. The Swamiyar, upset by this, reprimanded the boy. With that, the boy disappeared into the cave and said, “If you want to see me, come to Ananthankadu.” Later, it is believed that Swamiyar rediscovered God in Ananthankadu, which is located in present-day Thiruvananthapuram.

Ananthapura, Kasaragod, Kasaragod, India