Have you heard of any vegetarian crocodile? Strange, right? In Ananthapura Lake Temple it is not a weird thing at all. The crocodile in the temple's lake which is believed to be guarding the Lord doesn't eat anything except the food offered by the temple.
Ananthapura Temple
Photo Courtesy: Sreehulem
Once upon a time, a small boy went to the ashram of the sage Divakara Muni Dilwamangalam. Upon getting to know that the boy doesn't have any guardians, the sage decides to keep the boy with him. Before that, the boy has a condition that nobody should humiliate him, otherwise he will leave right away. Unable to control the naughty boy, the scholar humiliates him and the boy leaves right away. It is only later that he realises that it is the Lord Padmanabha who came in the form of a small boy.
Ananthapura Temple Crocodile
Photo Courtesy: Vinayaraj
The sage begins his journey from the cave where the Lord disappeared and reaches Ananthapura. It is said that Ananthapura Lake Temple in Kasaragod is the original place (moolastanam) of Lord Padmanabhaswamy in Thiruvananthapuram.
The sage Dilwamangalam is said to have reached Ananthapura through the cave situated near the temple. People believe that the crocodile is there to protect the shrine. Babia, the vegetarian crocodile, hasn't harmed anyone till now. Myths say that it is also the place where Lord Krishna (Padmanabhaswamy) disappeared.
A closer view of Ananthapura Temple
Photo Courtesy: Vinayaraj
Interestingly, there will always be one crocodile in the tank. When one crocodile dies, another crocodile takes its place. No one knows how or from where this crocodile comes. It eats the food offered by the temple priests.
A beautifully crafted temple in the middle of a lake attracts people to Ananthapura. The presiding deity Lord Vishnu sits in the inner sanctum with the king Lord Anantha, a five-hooded snake towering the Lord.
Serene view of the temple surroundings
Photo Courtesy: Vinayaraj
The intricate wooden carvings and the natural spring which keeps the temple lake full at all times makes the perfect setting.
Ananthapura is a village in Kasargode, which is on the border of Kerala and Karnataka. Ananthapura Lake Temple is around 50km from the port city Mangalore.
Travel to this ancient and only lake temple in Kerala; get amazed by several legends that make it one of the prominent places in Kerala. Of course, try to find the temple crocodile because Babia won't show up all the time!