Alleppey old

Temple Entrance

This temple is situated about 1 km north of the KSRTC bus stand, Alleppey and facing the East. It is popularly known as the Old Tirumala temple and is about 400 yrs old.

The prathista is Venkatachalapathy with Lakshmi Devi and Bhoomi Devi on either side.

The idols of Mahalakshmi, Hanuman, Garuda and Ganapati are installed within the inner temple. There is a sub temple inside the main temple (outside the Nalambalam) dedicated to Vanadurga and also a Naga pedestal.

The Brindavans of Swami Sureendra Tirtha (the 12th pontiff) and Swami Sumateendra Tirtha (the 15th pontiff) are located in this temple.

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Western Agrasala & Rama Bhat shrine

The Venkatachalapathy idol was brought to Alleppey by a Poojari Kashi Rama Bhat who installed it in this place for the community.

There is a small shrine of Sri Kashirama Bhat in the West Agrasala where his statue is installed and respected.

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statue of Kashi Rama Bhat

The importance of the Alleppey temple is that, during the Portuguese persecution at Cochin, the rare Venkateswara idol along with the idols of Lakshmi Devi and Narasimha Moorthi from Cochin Gosripuram temple was shifted here (1792 AD) and installed and worshipped in the North Agrasala for more than 60 years. The place where this idol was installed is known as Cochin temple even today. In 1853 AD, this was shifted to the newly constructed Anantha Narayana Puram temple about 1 KM from here to South. Presently Salagrama in a samputa is placed here for worship.

The temple has a Gopuram at the entrance and Agrasalas around the temple complex. The Agrasalas are in a depleted condition at present. Just outside the northern Agrasala, the temple authorities have constructed a Community Hall cum Kalyana mandapam (Sudheendra Kalamandir) and Rest room for Swamiji, which was inaugurated by Srimad Sudheendra Tirtha Swamiji on 6-6-1988.

1. Inner temple & Sreekovil
2. Dwajasthambam
3. Samadhi of Sureendra Tirtha
4. Nagar pedestal
5. Samadhi of Sumateendra Tirtha
6. Rama Bhat shrine
7. Cochin temple
8. Vanadurga shrine
9. Gopuram at entrance
10. Sudheendra Kalamandir

Layout sketch of temple complex

Both the Brindavans have Hanuman statues installed there. In 1970 AD, when the present Swamiji Sudheendra Tirtha visited and camped at this temple, he had undue joint pain at his shoulder. As revealed in Devaprasnam, it was found that there is damage at the right shoulder of the Hanuman statue in the Brindavan of Srimad Sumateendra Tirtha. Subsequently, a new statue of Hanuman was made and punaprathista done by Srimad Sudheendra Tirtha in 1971 A.D. Also the idols of Kodhandarama, Venkatachalapathy and Sri Krishna and the Salagramas from the nearby Kodhandarama temple of Kasi mutt were brought and installed in the two Brindavans.

The story of pain at the shoulder of Swamiji may be a folklore, but the Devaprasnam and punaprathista are documented facts.

Alleppey is a famous trade centre of ancient times and is referred as Venice of the East, built on the banks of a network of canals. It was one of the best-known ports along the coast of Malabar. Today, it is famous for its boat races, backwater holidays, beaches, marine products and coir industry. The most colorful water sport is the Nehru Trophy boat race held every year at PUNNAMADA LAKE in Alappuzha on the 2nd saturday of every August.