Kasaragod Sri Ananthapura Lake Temple- Kerala

Address

Kasaragod Sri Ananthapura Lake Temple- Ananthapura, Via, Kumbla Angadimogar, Kerala 671321

Diety

Sri Ananthapadmanabha Swamy Amman: Sri devi, Bhudevi

Introduction

Ananthapadmanabhaswamy Temple or Anantha Lake Temple is built in the middle of a lake in the little village of Ananthapura, around 6 km from the town of Kumbla in Manjeshwaram Taluk of Kasaragod District of Kerala, South India. This is the only lake temple in Kerala and is believed to be the original seat (Moolasthanam) of Ananthapadmanabha Swami (Padmanabhaswamy temple) Thiruvananthapuram. Legend has it that this is the original site where Ananthapadmanabha settled down. The lake in which the Sanctum Sanctorum is built measures about 2 acres (302 feet square). According to the local legend, the deity Anantha Padmanabha chose to go all the way to Thiruvananthapuram through that cave. Hence both the places retain similar names, in spite of being on either end of the region.

Puranic Significance

The past of the temple is still obscure except for some myths. It was at this place where Divakara Muni Vilwamangalam, the great Tulu Brahmin sage, did penance and performed poojas. Legend has it that one day Lord Narayana appeared before him as a child. The boy’s face was glowing with radiance and this overwhelmed the sage. He became anxious and asked who he was. The boy replied that he had no father no mother and none at home. Vilwamangalam felt pity for the boy and allowed him to stay there. The boy proposed a condition that whenever he feels humiliated he will leave the place at once. He served the sage for some time. But soon his juvenile pranks became intolerable for the sage and he reacted violently. Humiliated the boy disappeared from there after proclaiming that if Vilwamangalam wants to see him he would have to go to Ananthankat, the forest of serpent god Anantha. Vilwamangalam soon realized that the boy was none but the lord himself and he had great repentance. He found a cave at the place where the boy disappeared and he proceeded further into the cave in search of the boy. He reached the sea and proceeded further toward the south and at last he reached a woody area near the sea. Vilwamangalam saw the child who soon disappeared into huge illippa tree (Indian butter tree or Mahua tree). Immediately the tree fell down and assumed the shape of Lord Vishnu lying on a thousand hooded serpent.

Beliefs

It is said that those who perform special worship in this temple will get back the lost items and lost positions. It is a common belief among the worshipers of Lord Sthala that all their shortcomings will be removed and prosperity will result.

Special Features

The temple is unique in its structural aspects for it is erected in the middle of an impressive lake of 302 feet. The lake is gifted with a perennial supply of pure spring water. The principal deity is Lord Vishnu. One of the key features of the temple is that the original idols in the sanctum sanctorum were not made of metal or stone, but of a rare combination of more than 8medicinal materials called `kadu-sharkara-yogam.’ These idols were replaced by panchaloha metals in 1972. They were donated by Kaanchi Kaamakoti Mathaadhipathi Jayendra Saraswathi Thiruvatikal. Efforts are going on now to reinstall the idols made with `kadu-sharkara-yogam.’ The Lord Vishnu idol is in a sitting pose over a five-hooded serpent king Lord Anantha. The vegetarian crocodile, Babia has been living in the temple lake for more than 60 years. This crocodile eats nothing else other than a special meal made up of rice and jaggery by the temple officials.. The lake temple is open to all visitors regardless of caste or creed. The temple has an excellent collection of wood carvings on the ceilings of the mandapam. These carvings depict the incidents taken from the stories of Dashavatharam (the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu). Some of them are painted. The Nava-grahas (nine planets) are painted at the muktha-mandapam. On either side of the sreekovil, dwaara-palakas (Jays and Vijaya) are beautifully carved in wood.

Festivals

The first day of the month of ippasi (October-November) in the Kerala calendar is the festival of ‘Navanna’ and the 14th day of the month of Kumbham (Masi- March) is the festival of ‘Tabotsavam’. Special Pooja performances are held on the days of Pavurnami and Krishna Ashtami. Similarly, special worships are performed throughout the month of Adi(Jan), which is considered to be the month of Ramayana in Kerala.