#Neyyattinkara #ShriKrishna Swami #Temple in #Kerala #IncredibleIndia

 

This beautiful temple to Shri Krishna Swami is located just about 20 Km from Thiruvananthapuram at Neyyattinkara on the way to Kanyakumari. We wanted to visit this temple, having heard so much about it being considered as the Guruvayur of Thiruvananthapuram.

Depiction of the Bhagavad Gita on the Entrance Tower 

A divine scene from the Bhagavad Gita with Lord Krishna explaining the Gita to Arjuna, is beautifully depicted on the main entrance to the temple. The temple is built in the typical Kerala style of architecture with sloping tiled roofs amidst vast tracts of green land.

The long corridor leading to the Sanctum

We proceed towards the sanctum where the main deity of UnniKannan (baby Krishna) with butter in both hands is worshipped. 

The main Sanctum

The Lord is also called Navaneetha Krishnan. We were asked if we wanted to make an offering of ‘Thrikaiyyilvenna”. Vennai means butter and this is the most important offering to the deity at this temple.

 Another thing that caught my eye was a huge pazhakola kept in readiness to be offered. We were told that it was the first plantain produce of the season and the farmer wanted to offer it to UnniKannan.

Pazha Kola (plantains) as offering to Shri Krishna

The temple is also said to have historical significance and there is a very interesting story behind the construction of the temple by His Highness Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma, the erstwhile Prince of Travancore in 1750 to 1755.  The Prince had taken strict action against ‘Ettuveettil Pillaimar’. This turned them against him, and he was being chased and surrounded by his enemies. It is said that when he reached the place where this temple is situated, he was actually looking for a safe place to hide. A small boy appeared there and led the Prince to a huge jackfruit tree which had a hollow trunk. The boy asked the Prince to hide in the hollow space and assured him that no one would find him here. Miraculously that is what actually happened. The enemies left without finding him and his life was saved. The Prince searched for the boy but could not locate him anywhere. The Prince was then told by the astrologer that it was his Lord Unnikrishnan who had come in the guise of the little boy and saved him from his enemies. To express his gratitude to Shri Krishna, he built this temple. The tree where he hid himself is still preserved in the temple premises and protected by an enclosure. It is visible to all devotees who worship Shri Krishna at Neyyattinkara. It is called  ‘Ammachi Plavu’. (Plavu is Jackfruit tree)

The 'Ammachi Plavu' in a protective enclosure

The presiding deity is a west facing, panchaloha idol of Shri Krishna with butter in both hands. According to what we heard there, the original idol was made of wood. But the boat which was carrying the idol got stuck and stopped on the way. To keep the installation in accordance with the auspicious time schedule, the panchaloha idol was installed. This is also believed to be according to Shri Krishna’s wish.

Apart from the main shrine to Shri Krishna Swami, there are shrines to Lord Ganesh and Dharmasastha. There is also a shrine to Nagaraja outside the main complex. The temple is administered by the Travancore Devaswom Board.

Shops outside the Temple selling Puja materials and souvenirs

The main festivals celebrated at the Neyyattinkara Shri Krishna Swami Temple are Janmashtami called Ashtami Rohini, Vishu, Navaratri, Mandala Puja and the main annual temple festival in the Malayalam month of Meenam. As in all Kerala temples, this annual festival starts with the Kodiyettram on the first day and ends with a grand Araattu (a sacred dip of the deity in the river Neyyar) procession on the day of the star Rohini in the month of Meenam. During the festival the jewels and ornaments of the deity, ceremoniously kept at another temple, are brought to the Neyyattinkara temple to adorn Shri Unni Krishna. There is a huge crowd of devotees in the temple on that day waiting to have darshan of their beloved Lord adorned with all the ornaments.

#Neyyattinkara #ShriKrishna #UnniKannan #temple #incredible India #Kerala #Keralatourism #Thiruvananthapuram #Thrikayyilvenna