Sree Venu Gopala Swamy Temple, Purakkad is one of the oldest Gowda Saraswath temples in the world. The main deity is Sree Venu Gopala Swamy. Located in the ancient port city of

Purakkad Purakkad is a village in Alappuzha district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the beach which is described in Thakazhi's novel "Chemeen". History There was an ancient port at Purakkad. Purakkad was known as ''Burkkare'' in ancient time. ...

, the temple was built around 400 years back. Gowda Saraswath Brahmin devotees from all over the world bring their children to perform "Devak Deevop" and "Sodovop".

History

Goa was ruled by Portugal in the late 15th and early 16th century. Portuguese rulers forcefully converted believers of other religion to Christianity. Many people converted to Christianity, but practiced their original tradition secretly.

Roman Catholic Brahmin Roman Catholic Brahmin (IAST ''Bamonns'' in Romi Konkani, ''ಬಾಮಣು'' in Canara Konkani& ''Kupari'' in Bombay East Indian dialects) is a caste among the Goan, Bombay East Indian and Mangalorean Catholics who are patrilineal descendant ...

is such a group of Brahmins that were converted to Christianity by Portuguese. In order to preserve the culture and the tradition, many families of Gowda Saraswat Brahmins migrated to ancient port cities of

Mangalore Mangalore (), officially known as Mangaluru, is a major port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats about west of Bangalore, the state capital, 20 km north of Karnataka–Ke ...

Calicut Kozhikode (), also known in English as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. It has a corporation limit population of 609,224 and a metropolitan population of more than 2 million, making it the second l ...

Cochin Kochi (), also known as Cochin ( ) ( the official name until 1996) is a major port city on the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea, which is a part of the Arabian Sea. It is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of K ...

, and

. Raja of Chembakassery (

Ambalapuzha Ambalappuzha is a small town in the Alappuzha district of Kerala state, India. It is located south of Alappuzha which is the district headquarters. Ambalappuzha is divided into the two panchayats of Ambalapuzha North and Ambalapuzha South. ...

) welcomed the group at Purakkad and provided them land to build a community and their temple.

Puna-Prathishtta

Punapathishta was performed by H. H. Shri Samyamindra Thirtha Swamiji by order of Guru Shri Sudhindra Thirtha Swamiji, the 20th

Mathadipathi A ''matha'' (; sa, मठ, ), also written as ''math'', ''muth'', ''mutth'', ''mutt'', or ''mut'', is a Sanskrit word that means 'institute or college', and it also refers to a monastery in Hinduism.

of Shri Kashi Math Samsthan and the spiritual head of Gaud Saraswath Brahmin community spread over the world. It is noteworthy that Samyamindra Swamiji, before Sanyasa Sweekar ceremony, was released from this temple who was surrendered in the lotus-feet of Sri Venu Gopala Krishna of Purakkad. The Puna-Prathishtta was a grand function since it was a blessing from Shri Sudhindra Thirtha Swamiji and first ceremony in Kerala after Deeksha Sweekar of Shri Samyamindra Thirtha Swamiji. Funds were pouring in from the devotees of G. S. B. world and their enthusiasm was so encouraging that Temple Renovation Committee astonished. The Devaswom managing Committee had already passed a resolution unanimously and presented in the meeting at T. D. School Kochi in A. D. 2000 to highlight that the G. S. B. Samaj and the temple of Purakkad will remain in the lotusfeet of Shri Sudhindra Thirtha Swamiji of

Kashi Math Kashi Math is a matha (monastery) and a spiritual organisation followed by the Madhva section of Gaud Saraswat Brahmins, who are also referred as Madhwa Saraswat Brahmins or Vaishnava Saraswat Brahmins. It dates back to the 16th century. With it ...

Samsthan, the supreme spiritual head and soul of G. S. B. community. The G. S. B Samaj as a whole do Sashtaanga Pranaams in the lotusfeet of Gurudev and we pray to Vyasaraghupathi and Venu Gopal for long and healthy life to Gurudev to guide this community. Puna-Prathishtta at Purakkad temple on 28 January 2011.Puna-Prathisht
"Purakkad Puna Prathishtta"
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Garbha Griha

The

Garbhagriha A ''garbhagriha'' or ''sannidhanam'' is the ''sanctum sanctorum'', the innermost sanctuary of a Hindu and Jain temples where resides the '' murti'' (idol or icon) of the primary deity of the temple. In Jainism, the main deity is known as the ' ...

or sanctum sanctorum is where the Main idol or Moola Vigraha is placed. The Garbha Griha in the temple is a ‘Bahu-vera Vidhana’ i.e. more than one idol is installed in the same Garbha Griha.

Main festivals

* Karthik Pournami *

Navarathri Navaratri is an annual Hindu festival observed in the honour of the goddess Durga. It spans over nine nights (and ten days), first in the month of Chaitra (March/April of the Gregorian calendar), and again in the month of Sharada. It is ob ...

* Janmashtami

References

{{coord missing, Kerala Hindu temples in Alappuzha district Konkani

History

Puna-Prathishtta

Garbha Griha

Main festivals

See also

References