Thiruvallam Sree Parasurama Swami Temple is one of the most ancient temples of

South India South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, as well as the union territo ...

. It is situated on the banks of

Karamana River Karamana is a river flowing through the city of Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, India. The river starts near the southern tip of the Western Ghats(Sahyadri Mountains) at Agastyar Koodam. The river flows 66 km westward and merges with the Ara ...

near Thiruvallam,

Thiruvananthapuram Thiruvananthapuram (; ), also known by its former name Trivandrum (), is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala. It is the most populous city in Kerala with a population of 957,730 as of 2011. The encompassing urban agglomeration populati ...

. It is the only temple in

Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...

dedicated to Lord Parasurama. The temple is 6 km from

Kovalam Beach Kovalam is a region in the city of Trivandrum, around 13 km southwest of the city center, whose beaches are a tourist destination. Etymology Kovalam means "coconut grove," after the coconut trees which are common there. History Kovala ...

and 5 km from

Trivandrum International Airport Thiruvananthapuram International Airport , is an international airport which serves Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala, India. Established in 1932, it is the first airport in the state of Kerala and fifth international airport of In ...

and 3 km from

.3 km from Attukal Temple 2 km from

Pazhanchira Devi Temple Pazhanchira Devi Temple is a Hindu temple situated between Ambalathara and Paravankunnu in Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala state, India. It is about to the south of Padmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram. The temple is from Koval ...

and 1 km from Sree Alukadu Devi temple. This heritage structure is placed under the list of monuments of national importance. From Eastfort Bus stand frequently Kerala state Road Transport Corporation buses are frequently plying towards the temple. The head of Padmanabhaswamy was seen in this temple and the feet at Tripadapuram Mahadeva temple. The body of the swami is seen in the Ananthapadmanabhaswamy temple. These 3 temples are visited in one go.

History

It says that the temple was built during the 12th and 13th century, late Pandyan period. The temple is considered a protected monument by the Archaeology Department of Kerala. It is famous for ''Balitharpanam'' (a tribute to ancestors). Legend has it that Lord Parasurama is the creator of Kerala and the temple dedicated to him is considered as a holy place for his devotees. During the ''

karkidaka vavu Karkidaka Vavu (Malayalam: കർക്കിടക വാവ്) or ‘Karkidaka Vavu Bali’ is a set of Hindu rituals performed on a specific monsoon day in the state of Kerala, India by adherents for their deceased ancestors. On the day of vavu ...

'' day (a holiday in the Malayalam month of ''karkidakam'') as part of the ''bali'' (a religious ritual), devotees pay homage to the departed souls of forefathers, after taking a dip in the holy water.

References

Hindu temples in Thiruvananthapuram district Archaeological sites in Kerala Vishnu temples {{Kerala-hindu-temple-stub