Information of Evoor Sreekrishna Swamy Temple, Alappuzha, Kerala

The Sree Krishnaswamy Temple is located in the Alappuzha district of Kerala in a place named Evoor. This temple is said to have originated over five millenias ago following Khandava Dahanam. This temple is a highly revered one especially to one's who follow lord Krishna an avatar of Lord Vishnu. The temple was burnt down about a century and a half ago when the sanctum sanctorum caught fire. The temple was reconstructed by a king called Moolanm Thirunal and the same idol was reinstated in the newly built temple. Since the reconstruction of the temple a century and a half earlier there have been no incidents.

Evoor Sreekrishna Swamy Temple Religious Significance

The temple being an ancient one automatically gets reverence from its age. The main deity of the temple is the Prayoga Chakra Prathistha which is not found commonly in temples dedicated to Lord Krishna. This temple is vested mainly by the devout followers of lord Krishna than anyone else. The temple is a highly revered one due to the legends attached to it and its millennia of getting sanctified by the reverbenation of prayers. The main festival of this temple is the Makara Ulsava which commences on the first day of the Hindu calendar of the month Makara. This festival then continues for a period of 10 days which begins with the hosting of flag known as Garuda. Each day of the Ulsava is important and has its own religious significance. The Ulsava on the 9th day is known as Kala-Kettu where a procession of decorated effigies of bulls is carried out. The Ulsava also co-incides with the holy bath known as the Aarattu which marks the end of the festival. The closure of the festival is signified by lowering the flag. After this festival it is believed that the deity goes into a holy sleep known as Pallikkuruppu.

Evoor Sreekrishna Swamy Temple Mythology & History

The legend associated with this temple is that Agni ( fire ) devoured clarified butter continuously for a period of 12 years from Swetaki's Yagna which resulted in a stomach problem for him. When he approached Lord Brahma for advice he was told to consume the forest of Khandava. However every time he tried to consume the forest he was stopped by Indra's thunderbolt as this forest was the abode of Indra's friend Takshaka, a Naga leader.

Agni then asked Lord Krishna and Arjuna for help. He also gave Arjuna a mythological bow called Gandiva which was almost equal in power to that of Lord Shivas bow Pinaka. As Krishna and Arjuna made their way into the forest they were approached by the maharishi Kanva to spare his idol known as the Arca Moorty to which Krishna agreed. Arjuna the constructed a Sarakoodam under which Agni could consume the forest without hindrance. He then shot an arrow as instructed by Krishna to determine the site of the temple where Agni wished to install the idol of Arca Moorthy. The temple was then built at the spot where the arrow fell where Arjuna performed the first pooja and Krishna the Prana-Prastishta. Along with the main deity, Bhootanathaswamy and yakshi Amma were also instated as sub-deities.

Evoor Sreekrishna Swamy Temple Architectural Importance

The millenia old temple was destroyed in a fire however a new one was built at the same place by King Moolam Thirunal. The new temple has been built in the classical architectural style of Kerala with sloping roofs, courtyards and shrines. The temple also has a tower where the Garuda flag is hoisted during the ten day long festival called Ulsava.