Famous Temples in India

Religious Significance

As per the Legend, Lord Vishnu appeared before Vilwamangalm as a small boy and stayed with him on a condition that he should get angry on him. One day boy at the Naivedya prepared for Lord Vishnu.Angered Vilwamangalam beat the boy with his right hand. Immediately the boy left the place as he broke the condition and told that he will be at Ananthakadu. The saint went in search of the boy and reached Ananthakadu. A huge Iluppa tree fell down and transformed into Ananthasayana form. The idol was so huge that head was in Thiruvallam, Middle part in Ananthakadu (Present Padmanabha Swamy temple) and feet at Trippapur. Saint requested lord to reduce his body size, please Lord Vishnu contracted his body.

Sage Parasurama visited many holy places to relieve himself from the dosha he incurred for killing his mother as commanded by his father. As advised by Lord Shiva, he came to this place and had a bath in the Karamanai river. He got a Linga here installed it and performed penance in this place and cleansed himself of the dosha. He also performed Tarpan for his mother here. After Parasurama, Sages Madanga and Gautama worshipped this Shiva Linga.

Folklore says Kerala owes its genesis to Parasurama's mighty axe, which was gifted to him by Lord Shiva who was pleased by the young Brahmin’s long years of meditation and penance. The word "Parasu" means "axe". Parasurama, the sixth and most violent avatar of Lord Vishnu, hurled his axe into the sea off Kanyakumari and brought forth the stretch of land that’s Kerala.