Shri Venkatachalapathy Thirumala Temple is located at Panjabjapuram, MG Road,
Ernakulam. One among the temples of the gowda
Saraswat Brahmins in
Kerala, the temple was constructed by Devaresa Prabhu in 1727. The presiding deity is Venkatachalapathy, an incarnation of
Lord Vishnu. The idol originally was the Kuladevata of Sri Dhamodhara Achari who migrated from
Goa.
The temple was expanded and the Agrasalas were constructed and the second Pratishta was done in the year 1780. The temple was renovated in 1897. The other deities are Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Hanuman, Lord Ganesh, Lord Garuda and Yakshi.
During its 250th year celebration in 1977, an attractive Gopuram was constructed in front of the temple at the entrance from the Thirumala Devaswom Road, as a commemoration of this occasion. The temple also boasts a temple tank, outside the main temple on the right side of the entrance pathway from the front gopuram, and a Dhwajastambha.
The Arattu Mandapam at the center of the tank is used for taking the Lord for snanam (bath) on the last day of the annual temple festival. There is a community hall and wedding auditorium near the temple.
The temple can be approached from Ernakulam Bus Station as well as from Ernakulam Junction Railway Station.
