Thrikulasekharapuram Sree Krishna Swami Temple, also known as Kulasekharapuram Sri Krishna temple, is located 5 km south of Kodungallur Bhagavathy temple. The temple is dedicated to Sri Krishna Bhagavan.
The main deity of Sri Krishna faces east. The Upa Devatas worshipped in the temple are Shiva, Ganapathi, Vasudeva, Vathil Kappavar, Nandagopar, Mohini, Parthasarathy, Govardhan, Anantha (Adi Sesha) and Garuda.
There are three pujas and sheeveli in the temple daily.
The 8-day annual festival begins on Vishu in Medam month (April 14).
As per history, Sri Krishna worshipped in the temple is the Kula Paradevatha of Kodungallur kingdom. The ariyittuvazhcha of the Kodungallur kings were performed in this temple.
As per some beliefs this is the first Vaishnava temple in ancient Kerala. Kulasekara Alwar, one of the twelve Vaishnavite Alvars, built the temple around 800 AD. Kulasekara Alwar wrote the famous Mukundamala offering prayers to Sri Krishna Bhagavan worshipped at Kulasekharapuram.
The temple was attacked by foreign powers many times.
The temple s noted for its beautiful sculptures.
Thrikulasekharapuram Sree Krishna Swami Temple Story
Kulasekara Alwar could not locate a Vishnu temple in the region and therefore he decided to build a temple. He asked a sculpture of repute to carve the murti of Sri Krishna. When the murti was carved, Kulasekara Alwar decided that the murti should be installed by famous tantri, Thamarassery Mykattu Namboothiri.
The tantri installed the murti on the Periyar River bank during Mandalakalam (November – December). This was done to do Shuddhi of the murti through Jalaspudam. The Prathishta was decided on the last day of Mandalakalam. But due to heavy rain, water in the Periyar River increased and as a result the murti disappeared in the river.
Tantri sat in meditation inside the sreekovil of the newly built temple. The doors of the sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) open with the sound of Shankh (conch). Possessed by a divine spirit, Tantri took a silver plate filled with flowers and walked towards the Periyar River. He performed pushparchana on the riverbank and jumped into the overflowing river. To the surprise of all the people assembled on the riverbank, the tantri appeared with the murti of Bhagavan Sri Krishna on his shoulders. The Prathishta in the temple was done at the appointed time.
It is said that Kulasekara Alwar sang Mukundamala on the opening of the sreekovil first time after the prathishta.