Triprayar Sri Rama temple is an ancient shrine dedicated to
Bhagavan Sri Ram at Triprayar near Thrissur in Kerala. The story of the origin
of the murti worshipped at Triprayar temple begins during the Dwapara Yuga when Bhagvan Krishna was present on earth.
Legend has it that Bhagavan Krishna worshipped the murtis of
Bhagavan Sri Ram, Bharata, Lakshman and Shatrughna at Dwarka during Dwapara
Yuga.
After Sri Krishna left earth, the city of Dwarka was
engulfed by sea and these vigrahams or murtis were submerged in the sea.
During the Kali Yuga (present age), the murtis or vigrahams were caught in
the net of a group of fishermen. They saw a divine light emerging from the
murtis. The fishermen reported the matter to the ruler of the area.
After consulting priests and astrologers, the four murtis
were installed in four different places.
The murti of Sri Rama was installed at Triprayar, Sri
Bharatha at Irinjalakuda, Sri Lakshmana at Moozhikulam and Sri Shatrughna at Payammel.
All these places are within 10 km radius.
When the murti of Sri Rama was to be installed, a voice was
heard in the sky, which asked the murti to be installed below the spot where a
peacock will be crouching.
At the appointed time, the peacock did not appear. People
then saw a man with divine aura standing with peacock feathers. They thought
this to be sign and decided to install the murti at the spot.
Soon a peacock appeared at another spot. The murti was
installed here. A Balikallu was installed at the previous spot.
Murtis of Sridevi and Bhudevi were also installed on either
side of the murti of Sri Rama.
The popular belief is that celestial beings had washed
the feet of Bhagavan Vishnu at Triprayar.