KOWDIAR SREEBALASUBRAMANIAM SWAMY TEMPLE 4.02

The Shri Balasubrahmanya Swamy Temple is a holy religious institution situated close to the Kowdiar Palace. The location of this old temple, which is visited by hundreds of devotees every day, is at Puthichakonam near Kowdiar, Thiruvananthapuram. A brief history of this more than one hundred-year old religious institution is given below.

Eenthivilakathu Veedu is an erstwhile family house in Puthichakonam. Three boys of this family, viz. Raman, Gopalan and Narayanan, used to perform prayers regularly in front of the idols of Lord Ganapathy and Lord Muruga made of clay with a lamp lit in front. Since the boys devoted themselves fully on these prayers neglecting their studies, the senior member of the house Shri.Velayudhan, in an act of indiscretion, threw away the idols one day. However, from that day onwards he lost his night sleeps and started dreaming about an elephant coming to attack him as also throwing him off lifting him in its tusk. He became quite restless and he subsequently discussed his experience, including his throwing away the idols, with his family members. The family chief confessed his mistake and again permitted the boys to perform prayers in front of the idols. The happy boys got involved in their prayers as before once again.

After few years one Shri. Govindacharya Swamy belonging to a place called Varinjam near Chathannur in Quilon District happened to come to Kowdiar. He came to know about the idol worship done by the three boys and hence came to Enthivilakathu house and met the boys. He was very much pleased with them and encouraged them in the matter. As per the request of the senior family member, Sri. Govindacharya Swamy constructed a small temple at Puthichakonam and installed an idol of Shri Balasubrahmanya Swamy and suggested proper prayer norms. He stayed in the Bhajana Madom in the compound and taught the boys the prayers to be made in detail. The boys in turn followed the directions of the Swamy and performed the prayers with due devotion. As per the directions of Shri. Govindacharya Swamy, the annual temple festival was decided to be performed on Shivarathri day every year.

In due course, the boy Goplan became the main priest and came to be known as ‘Gopalan Shanthi’. All prayers and connected rituals were being performed by him thereafter. On March 21, 1979 Gpolan Shanthi expired and the temple and the land around it were handed over to a committee comprising members from the locality. This committee was responsible for the day-to-day functioning of the temple thereafter, and consequent on their meritorious services, the temple grew up in stature and importance. In the year 2007 a trust was registered in the name Shri Balasubrahmanya Swamy Temple Trust to supervise the activities of the temple.The temple rituals and prayers are being performed in a very grand manner under the guidance of this Trust..