Ambalapuzha Sri Krishna Temple
Ambalapuzha is 14 km south of Alappuzha town.Ambalapuzha’s fame is attributed to this temple. The 16th century-built temple is very famous in South Kerala and its prasadam (deity’s food given to devotees as a token of blessing), Palpayasam (milk kheer), more commonly known as Ambalapuzha Palpayasam is mouth-watering and very famous throughout Kerala. The deity of the temple situated on the banks of Ambalapuzha River is Sri Krishna. Ambalapuzha itself means the river of temple (ambala means temple and puzha means river). The birth of this temple is twined with fascinating stories. The Champakasseri King, Moolam Thirunal Devanarayanan, and his mentor Vilwamangalath Swamiyar while cruising in a boat in Ambalapuzha river heard music tune of a flute from the bank. They shored the boat and moved forward towards the music emanting point when they noticed a beautiful boy playing the flute sitting on a branch of a peepul tree. The religious stalwart Vishwamangalam concluded that this child is none other than divine Krishna. Both, the king and the mentor, prostrated before the child after circumambulating the tree. When they rose from the ground the child was not there. Vishwamangalm lost no time to advice the king to build a temple for Sri Krishna at the spot. A temple thus soon came up there.
There is a conflicting story behind the installed idol. The king ordered idol was not installed as the priests noticed some inaccuracies in the sculpting. Instead, an idol was borrowed from a temple and installed. This is one version. The other version is that the inaccuracies of the king orderd idol was corrected and installed the same. Let it be either way. The idol is of a smiling naughty boy. The idol was brought by a boat and the Chambakulam Boat Race in June/July is in commemoration of this. The 3 ft high idol is always seen covered in sandalwood paste.
King Devanarayanan placed his crown at the feet of Lord Krishna in this temple and dedicated his kingdom to the Lord. The last king of Devanarayanan’s dynasty placed the keys of his granary and treasury before the Lord after his defeat by Travancore.
The walls around the sanctum sanctorum are beautiful with paintings of Dasavathra (ten incarnation of Vishnu).
The main festival of the temple is the 10-day Arattu Utsavam in Meenam (March/April). Processions by several caparisoned tuskers accompanied by vadya-melams (percussion instrument musics) and performances of Velakali, a martial art form, are the main attractions. The procession ends with enchanting fireworks. During the festival devotees are offered a feast and the diners are treated with utmost honour. It is believed, Lord Krishna presents incognito to dine along with the devotees.
