Vishnu (Ananthapadmanabha) temple · Ananthapura, Kasaragod, Kerala, India
Sri Ananthapadmanabha Swamy Temple at Ananthapura, in Manjeshwaram taluk of Kasaragod district, Kerala, is a temple to Vishnu set in the middle of a lake. Kerala Tourism describes it as a 9th-century temple and the only lake temple in Kerala, about 30 km from Bekal. It is believed to be the moolasthanam (original seat) of Sree Padmanabhaswamy of Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala Tourism; The Hindu).
Faith & Tradition
The temple was long known for 'Babiya', a mugger crocodile in its lake that devotees regarded as sacred and that was fed only vegetarian offerings (nivedyam) by temple priests and devotees. By tradition the crocodile guarded a cave in the lake into which Vishnu is believed to have vanished (The Hindu; New Indian Express).
According to the temple committee, an earlier crocodile named Babiya was shot by British soldiers in 1942, after which another appeared and was given the same name, The Hindu reported.
Heritage
Babiya died on 9 October 2022 and was buried on the temple premises as thousands of devotees from Kerala and Karnataka paid homage (The Hindu; New Indian Express). In November 2023 a new crocodile was sighted in the temple lake, the temple chairman confirmed to The Hindu.
The shrine stands in the middle of a lake (Kerala Tourism).
Plan Your Visit
Do not disturb the lake or its wildlife; follow temple instructions.
Timings and arrangements change with seasons and festivals. Confirm current details with Temple committee before travelling. Last reviewed 6 October 2026.
Location
Ananthapura is in Kasaragod district, about 30 km from Bekal (Kerala Tourism).
Location: Ananthapura, Kasaragod, Kerala, India
More in Hindu temples in Kerala · Vishnu (Ananthapadmanabha) temples · Temples in Kasaragod District
Questions
At Ananthapura in Kasaragod district, Kerala, about 30 km from Bekal.
The shrine stands in the middle of a lake; it is described as Kerala's only lake temple.
It is believed to be the original seat of Sree Padmanabhaswamy.
The temple's revered vegetarian crocodile, which died in October 2022.
A new crocodile was sighted in the lake in November 2023.
Further reading: Ananthapura Lake Temple (Sri Ananthapadmanabha Swamy), Kasaragod on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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