Malayinkeezhu Sree Krishna Swamy Temple is located at Malayinkeezhu in Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala. The 8-day annual festival ends on Thiruvonam nakshatra in Meenam month.
The flag hoisting or kodiyettam in the temple is held at night. On the third and fifth day of the festival there is Utsava Bali. Thiruvabharanam charthu is on the fifth day. Pallivetta is held on the seventh day in Malayinkeezhu vetta kalam.
The Arattu ghoshayathra or procession is atop an elephant and is accompanied by temple music. The temple and the route of Arattu procession is lit with lamps and decorated with flowers.
The arattu is held in a rivulet near Kuzhikadu Devi Temple. It is said that Sri Krishna goes to the temple with marriage in his mind but returns disappointed.
The Arattu procession returns back in the early morning hours and is greeted by people with the display of Nirapara (rice with husk in traditional para). The festival concludes with fireworks.
The 8-day festival is noted for the performance of various temple arts, dance, music, sangeetha kacheri of famous singers.
Other important festivals and rituals in the temple are Thiruvonam, Vishu, Ashtami Rohini, Makaram 1 and Mithunam 1.
Malayinkeezhu Sree Krishna Swamy Temple Information
The main deity worshipped in the temple is Sri Krishna. Sreekovil of the temple faces east.
The Upa Devatas worshipped in the temple are Shiva, Ganapathy, Sastha, Brahmarakshas and Nagam. Yakshi is worshipped outside the temple. The shrine of Sastha is without roof. The rakshas in the temple is that of a pujari of the temple who was killed by the Kazhakar in the temple compound. As the pujari did not die a natural death he became a Brahmarakshas and was consecrated in the temple.
The temple is noted for its gopuram, long nadapanthal and compound wall. The base of flag post is note for its intricate carving.
The pillars of the nalambalam are noted for sculptures.
There is a temple pond in the north side of the temple.
Women do not enter the nalambalam of the temple. It is said that once an ardent devotee of Sri Krishna entered the nalambalam of the temple at odd hours. She was never seen after that. It is believed that she merged in the murti in the temple. After this incident women stopped entering the nalambalam.
The main offerings in the temple kadalipazham, palpayasam and unniappam are the main offerings in the temple.
Earlier, calves were given in donation to the temple.
Malayinkeezhu Sree Krishna Swamy Temple History
The shrine is more than 1500 years old. As per Sooranad Kunjan Pillai, the temple is as old as Sri Padmanabha Swamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram. A pattayam in chembu takidu (copper sheet) found in Thiruvalla Vishnu Temple mentions about Malayinkeezhu temple. This copper sheet is belongs to 11th century AD.
The murti of Sri Krishna worshipped in the temple was worshipped by Satyaki in Dwaraka. Sri Krishna came in the dream of Vilwamangalam Swamiyar and told about the vigraham in the river.
Next day, when Vilwamangalam Swamiyar went to take bath his leg hit the Vigraham and he took it out from the river.
Swamiyar decided to consecrate the murti in Thiruvalla. But that night he had another dream in which he was directed to consecrate the murti at Malayinkeezhu.
It is believed that the vigraham in the temple was brought from Thiruvalla. Another belief is that the murti was offered pujas and worship by Vilwamangalam Swamiyar. It is said that Malayinkeezhu temple was earlier the keezhedam of Thiruvalla temple. Hence the deity was also earlier known as Thiruvallazhappan.
Madhava Panikkar, one among the Kannassa poets of 14th century AD, wrote a condensed Malayalam translation of Bhagavad Gita sitting in the gopuram of the temple.