Temples Of Kerala

The only Lake temple of Kerala is situated in a sleepy hamlet ‘Ananthapura’ in Kasaragod district, Kerala. The 9th-century temple is believed to be the moolasthanam or original abode of Lord Anantha Padmanabha, the deity of the famous Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Kerala’s capital, Thiruvananthapuram.

Sree Anantha Padmanabha is depicted as seated on the divine serpent Anantha. An exceptional collection of wood carvings that show scenes from Dashavatharam (the 10 incarnations of Lord Vishnu) can be seen on the ceilings of the mandapam (pavilion) here. Carvings of the Nava grahams (nine planets) and Dwarapalakar (gatekeepers) can also be found in different parts of this temple.

The presence of a crocodile named Babia in the temple lake is an added attraction here.