Thiruvambadi Sri Krishna Temple, Thrissur
One of the two leading groups (the other being Paramekkavu temple group) that participate in the Thrissur Pooram, the Thiruvambadi Sri Krishna Temple is one of the most popular Krishna temples in Kerala. The constant chanting of the Bhagavad Gita lends an even more spiritual feel to the temple. The legend goes that a local administrator of one particular area of the 16th century was referred to as ‘Moose’. At that time, a girl belonging to the Moose family fell in love with a young man of another religious belief. This created a lot of tension among the villagers. Conflicts between these sects became an everyday spectacle. Some of the villagers foreseeing the communal riots decided to safeguard the idols of the temple from being destroyed.
They detached the idol of lord Krishna from the sanctum sanctorum and went to Thrissur. They reached ‘Kandanathu Mana’ and sought their help. At that time only a couple were residing there and they were sorrowful because they didn't have children. When they saw the idol of lord Krishna they took him as their child and consecrated the idol in a hall within the premises. The couple were the worshippers of the Goddess Kodungallur Bhagavathi. Once while, they were leaving the Kodungallur temple after their visit dejected that they would not be able to visit the temple again owing to the ill health of the Namboodiri. On reaching his house, the Namboodiri placed an ‘Olakkuda’ (an umbrella made of palm leaves) in one place.
Later he realized that the spirit of the Devi had accompanied him on the Olakkuda. He shifted the spirit onto a pillar of that nadumuttam and started worshiping Devi. Astrologers advised the Namboodiri to consecrate Bhagavathi on the left side of the sanctum of lord Krishna. They did so and since the couple didn't have children, they transferred the ownership of the temple to the public. All decisions regarding the temple affairs were taken by a group of local people. The main deity here is Unnikrishna (lord Krishna in infant form). Goddess Bhagavathi is consecrated in a shrine just on the left of lord Krishna and worshipped with equal ardour. Though the temple is a small one, but in quality and immensity of rites of worship, it stands on a par with other temples here.