gsb temples

This temple has its origin traced to the end of 17th century. However, the temple in the present form has been established in 1888 AD. Parur near Alwaye town and 40 km north of ernakulam, is one of the Ashta Gramas (eight villages) of the GSB community in Kerala .

The main deity is Venkatachalapathy with Mahalakshmi on left side and Bhoomidevi on the right. The vigraha is made of Panchaloha (five metals). There is a Ganapati pratishta outside the srikovil at the South-West corner of the inner temple or Nalambalam.

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Temple main entrance

This temple celebrates a six-day festival. Apart from the daily Ezhunnallippu of the deity atop a caparisoned elephant, a procession known as Dikvijayam is conducted on the third and fourth days, and Pallivetta ceremony on the fifth day. The festival concludes with the Aarattu known as Thapotsavam. The main idol was originally the kuladevata of Rama Vadyar, a purohit family settled in Parur in the last quarter of 17th century.

Timmappa Vadyar, son of Rama Vadyar carried the temple deities and Salagrama to Cochin via Chathanad and handed over the deities to Cochin Tirumala Devaswom for safe custody. After four years many of the families returned to Parur. The temple was repaired using bamboo and palm leaves and the Salagrama and idol of Ganapati was installed there.

In 1808 AD the revenue authorities demanded land tax which was in arrears and Timmappa Vadyar was unable to pay it. At his request, the Samaj paid the taxes when he agrred to transfer the possession rights to Dhayi Jan. The samaj approached Parur Thampuran for financial help and the temple was renovated in 1813 AD with his help. But due to the infights among the members, funds could not be collected for the maintenance and temple affairs were ignored. In 1815, Timmappa Vadyar expired and his children continued as purohits. In 1829 Ad the younger son Abbayya Vadyar was initiated into sanyasa and the elder son expired in 1831. There after no purohits were left in Parur. The samaj then approached the Varapuzha temple for help. Sri Bhattu Vadyar was deputed for pooja at Parur. But within a year, dissatisfied with the state of affairs, he locked the temple and left Parur throwing the temple key in the tank. The samaj decided to hand over the Salagram also to Cochin Devaswom to be kept with the deities given earlier. Since the deities of Cochin temple were by that time shifted to Alleppey (due to terrible persecution of Konkanis at the hands of Raja Rama Varma, popularly known as Sakthan Thampuran), the Samaj approached the Authorities of Alleppey temple to accept the Salagrama. But they refused to accept the Salagrama without proper financial arrangements to meet expenses for its daily pooja. The Samaj pledged a land at North Parur for this purpose and also arranged the fifth Ahass during annual festival to be on its behalf. This arrangement continued till 1852 at Alleppey and till 1868 at Cochin (after the deity was brought back to Cochin). Due to differences among the trustees of Dhayi Jan, the Ahass was discontinued after 1868 AD.

In 1872 AD the Dhayi Jan representatives approached Srimat Bhuvanendra Tirtha at Cochin and requested him to intervene. The differences were resolved and Swamiji nominated a committee of 8 persons to look after the properties and the affairs of the Samaj. The Ahass at Cochin also was re-started. The Ahass, however, could not be conducted in 1875 partly due to price escalation and partly due to mismanagement of funds. In 1882 Swamiji urged the samaj to start construction of the temple at Nort Parur and the foundation stone was laid in 1886. The construction was completed and the Pratishta was done in 1888 AD. Since then Dhayi Jan was known as Devaswom. Funds was raised by the trustees through Chit fund and constructed Parswa mandap, Agrasala on north side and Gopurams on East and West sides.

In 1905 AD, there was a theft in the temple and the Utsav idol and Salagrama were lost. A new Utsav vigraha was brought fron Cochin Devaswom, a new Lakshmi vigraha was casted and re-installed in the same year.

During the first world war (1915 - 1925), the prices shot up and there was big strain on the finances of the temple. The matured Chits could not be paid and many creditors obtained decrees from the court in their favour and 16 plots of land were auctioned to payoff the debt. The Devaswom became virtually bankrupt. The Devaswom was re-constituted and new trustees were elected. Well wishers started a new chit fund (Kachavada Fund) and in 1951 handed over 12 acres of paddy fields and 1.85 acres of coconut groves to the temple by an endowment deed. The financial position of the Devaswom was further strengthened by a new chit fund (Saraswat Fund) who donated jewellery and vessels to the temple and also renovated the Srikovil and Puna-prathista done in 1953 AD. The Devaswom also contructed two shopping complexes near the temple.

The centenary of the temple and the Vasantholsava of Swamiji was celebrated on 23rd April 1988 AD in the presence of Srimat Sudheendra Tirtha Swamiji.

Even though the temple has become an import one in this area, there has not been any social organisation or establishment for the community in Parur. Keeping this in view a service organization named Sree Venkatesa Seva Sangham was established in 1983 under the patronage of Srimat Sudheendra Tirtha Swamiji. The sangham has been rendering noble service and also initiated the construction of a Marriage Hall (Sri Venkateswara Kalyana Mandapam) in 1984.