Peralassery Subramania temple, Kerala: Dedicated to Serpents Kokila Ever heard of the snake temple, Peralassery, also known for its unique stepwell and for being open to people of all faiths? This holds true in the case of Sri Subramanya Temple, situated 14 km away from Kannur in Kerala. Kannur itself is home to many temples but the one dedicated to Lord Subramanya in Peralassery is unique for its architecture and associated legends. Subramanya. According to the Here Lord Rama enshrined Lord Hindu scripture Ramayana, the Prince of Ayodhya, Rama, during his course of wanderings in the forests of South India in search of his kidnapped spouse Sita, visited this particular site in Peralassery. He intuitively felt the invisible energies of Lord Subramanya emanating from this place. To consecrate the site, Rama decided to install an idol of Lord Subramanya, which the world would later worship. Today, there are many stone images of cobras and other serpents at the temple, duly worshipped by the visitors. This is why it lures pilgrims. It is faith led by the powerful ancient legend linked to this temple that attracts pilgrims to this place. Legend has it that Lord Subramanya aka Kartikeya, the son of Lord Shiva, appeared at the temple site in the form of a five-headed serpent and lived in the pond for a long time. As a result, the waters of the pond turned sacred, and people started visiting the pond in the hope of getting rid of their miseries as the word spread. There is an Ashoka tree in the temple premises underneath which is a snake hole. Many pilgrims perform Naga Aradhana (Snake worship) by offering hen’s eggs and milk to the snakes residing in the cave to get rid of various maladies. Another amazing fact about this temple is that people A TO Z INDIA ● NOVEMBER 2021 ● PAGE 5