Ananthapura Lake Temple Kasargod, Kerala

The Ananthapura Lake Temple, Kasargod, is one of the important places of worship in Kerala. Located on a secluded rocky hill, the ancient temple dates back to the 9th century which is dedicated to Lord Ananthapadmanabha Swamy (Lord Vishnu) – the place considered to be the original seat of the Lord. The form of Lord Vishnu is seen lying on thousand snakes. The temple is open to all visitors irrespective of caste, creed, and color.

It is the only lake temple in Kerala blessed with a perennial supply of pure spring water. The sanctum sanctorum is situated in the middle of a rectangular lake spread over 2 acres.

An interesting fact here is that Ananthapura Lake Temple is guarded by a crocodile named Babia, which is believed to be the local guard of the temple. The crocodile has been living in the pond for more than 60 years and lives in a nearby cave. Moreover, after the worship of Lord Ananthapadmanabha, the prasad is fed to Babia as he only feeds on the vegetarian gruel offered by the temple management.

Also, it is said that the crocodile does not harm anyone, not even the fish in the lake. And, when one crocodile dies, another one appears in the lake. This is considered to be a miracle there.

How To Reach:

The divine abode of Lord Ananthapadmanabha Swamy is located on the northern tip of Kerela, 6 km from Kumbala town in Kasargod and can be easily reached by air, rail or road.

Timings: The timings are bifurcated in two slots one is 5:30 am to 12:30 pm and the next is from 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm