Azheekkal Sree Varaha Temple

Sree Varaha Temple is situated in the vicinity of Pallippuram near Cherai in Kerala.Sree Varaha temple at Azheekal in is the only sampoorna kshetra or ‘complete temple’ of the nagara type in South India. The Sree Varaha temple houses all the seven deities of the Gowda Saraswat Brahmins (GSB’s) of Kerala. Azheekal forms a main settlement of Gowda Saraswat Brahmin community. And for that reason, they have established as many as 31 major temples, besides a good number of family temples here.

This is the only temple in the country where the vigraha of Varaha along with Sridevi and Bhudevi plus that of Sri Venkateswara with Mahalakshmi are installed and worshipped in a single sanctum, side by side.

The temple was established in 1565 A.D by Azheekal Yogakkars (G. S. Brahmins of Vypeen) and the Pratishta was done by Swami Yadavendra Tirtha, first Pontiff of Shri Kashi Mutt. It is believed to be the first GSB temple in Travancore-Cochin area.

Temple History
Seven of the families who migrated to Cochin from Goa in 16th century settled in Azheekal in the Vypeen island near Cochin. A wealthy merchant among them, Krishna Prabhu, was in possession of two idols – Sree Varaha and Sree Vithoba. Both these idols were temporarily installed at Azheekal and worshipped. Sree Varaha soon became the Gramadevata of the Azeekal community. Krishna Prabhu purchased extensive plots of land at Vypeen from Paliyath Achan. A new temple was constructed at Azheekal and the idol was consecrated in 1565 AD by Sri Yadavendra Tirtha Swamiji, the first pontiff of Kashi Mutt. The temple came to be known as Sree Varaha temple.

The idols in the temple at Azheekal were stolen in 1723 AD and could not be traced. Efforts were made to cast new idols in Panchaloha but were found defective. So, the mahajans of Azheekal approached the Cochin temple and got two idols of Venkatachapathy and Mahalakshmi and were installed in the temple in 1724 AD.

Meanwhile, the stolen idols were recovered and it was also installed in the temple by the side of Sree Venkateshwara. With new Prathista, Sree Venkatachalapathy was given more importance and the annual flag festival was celebrated only for him. In 1857 AD, there was a major fire in the temple. However, the temple was re-constructed shortly after.

The temple at Azheekal was close to sea shore. Due to continuous sea erosion and high tides, the temple and the local community suffered many losses. Many Yogakkars left the place in 1866 AD and migrated to nearby places like Kuzuppally, Cherai, Ernakulam in Cochin state and also to places in Travancore state. The mahajans purchased land in Cherai in 1867 AD and constructed Agrasala and installed the idols shifted from Azheekal. The old temple at Azheekal was also dismantled and brought to Cherai.A temple was then constructed and Prathista done in 1880 AD.

In 1897 AD, the temple was struck by lightning. A devaprashnam was conducted and as revealed, Sree Varaha Swamy was treated as the presiding deity and annual flag festival commenced to be celebrated for him also, since 1898 AD.

The festival take place twice in a year. The Rathotsav is a speciality and attended by devotees in large numbers. The chariot is pulled around the temple by devotees.