Sri Ernakulam Tirumala Devaswom

The Sri Ernakulam Tirumala Devaswom Temple is on Panjabjapuram,T D Road, Ernakulam, Cochin, was established in 1727 A.D, with Sri Laxmi Venkatesha as the chief deity. Other deities like Sri Mahalakshmy, Sri Ganapathy, Sri Hanuman and Sri Garuda were installed later on. Since then renovations have been done from time to time.The idol orginally was the Kuladevata of Sri Dhamodhara Achari who migrated from Goa.Eight of the families who migrated from Goa, settled in Ernakulam. Shri Dhamodhara Achari was one among them who has brought his Kuladevata Shri Venkatachalapathy and worshipped in his house. Later the eight families wanted to establish a temple for this idol at this place. They approached the local chieftains (the five Kaimal families) to give them land for this purpose. The five Kaimals were locally called 'Anchu Kaimal' (Anchu means five in Malayalam) and the present Ernakulam was called 'Anchu Kaimal' area in those days. Even today in local Konkani the place is referred as "Enchikammel".

The prominent among the Kaimals Sri Cheranallur Kartha donated about 2 acres of land for construction of the temple. A small temple was constructed and the idol was installed there in 1727 A.D along with a Ganapathy idol. The Cochin Tirumala Devaswom donated two idols for worship to this temple. Later the temple was expanded and the Agrasalas were constructed and the Second Prathistra in the renovated temple was done in 1780 AD. The Dwaja Prathista (flag post) was erected in 1823 AD. When Sri Dasa Prabhu was the Devaswom administrator, he ignored the committee (Yogakkars) and in conflict deposited keys of the temple in Cochin Tirumala Devaswom in 1829 AD. Thus, the temple came under the administration of Cochin Tirumala Devaswom and the cold war started between the Cochin and Ernakulam members. The community in Ernakulam objected to the administration of Cochin Tirumala Devaswom, and declared independence. In 1877 AD, the governance was handed over back to members in Ernakulam. The temple was again renovated and prathista mahotsav was conducted in 1897 AD.
The temple pond with "arattu mandapam"& The gopuram













The 250th year of the first Prathista was celebrated in 1977 AD and an attractive Gopuram was constructed in front of the temple at the entrance from the TD Road to commemorate this occasion. The Gopuram was inagurated by Srimad Sudheendra Thirtha Swamiji of Kashi mutt on 15 Jan 1977.
The temple pond is at just outside the main temple on the left side of the main entrance. The "Arattu mandapam" at the center of the tank is for taking the Lord for Snanam or Bath on the last day of the Annual temple festival.