Nearby Places in Kumbla
Kumbala is a small town situated between Kasaragod town and Bekal, a popular tourist destination in the region. Kumbala is known for its scenic beauty, lush green landscapes, and serene atmosphere. The town is surrounded by hills, and the Kumbala River flows through it, adding to its natural charm. Kumbala is also home to several temples, including the Kumbala Mahaganapathi Temple, which is a popular pilgrimage site for devotees of Lord Ganesha. Kumbala is a small town, and the pace of life here is slower than in the bigger cities. This makes it a great place to unwind and relax
Ananthapura Lake Temple
Ananthapura Lake Temple is a famous Hindu temple located in the Kasaragod district. It is the only lake temple in Kerala, and is known for its serene location and unique architecture. The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, and is believed to have been built in the 9th century AD. It is situated on a small island in the middle of Ananthapura Lake, which adds to the temple’s charm and beauty.
Sri Ananthapadmanabha Swamy Temple is Vibrant with the spiritual power of Lord Mahavishnu is located near the northern end of Kerala, in Ananthapura near Kumbla in Kasaragod District. The temple is known as the moolasthanam, the original source, of the Sri Anantha Padmanabha Swamy Temple of Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala State, which is in the far south.
The Landscape on the way to the temple opens a vast panoramic scene with ranges of sprawling hillocks on the background. An aura of peace and solitude permeater the whole region. On the midst of a vast grass land remains in splendorous charm Sri Anantha Padmanabha Swamy Temple, in the centre of a rectangular lake.
The piligrim is reminded of the Puranic Symbology of Lord Vishnu, the all-perrading and timeless supreme reality, resting on the serpent Anantha, representing the endless phenomenon of time, and floating in the Ksheera Sagara, the ocean of Milk, representing the endless energy of creation.
Here, in the Sreekovil, the sanctum sanctorum, of the temple, Sri Anantha Padbhanabha is depicted as seated on the divine serpent Anantha, while in the Sri Padmanabha Swamy Temple of Thiruvananthapuram, the Lord is reclining on Anantha. On both the sides of the Lord are Bhoodevi, the Goddess of Earth and Sreedevi, the Godess of Prosperity. Garuda and Hanuman stand in front of them praying with folded hands. Heavely maidens tan the Lord and his consorts from behind. Jaya and Vijaya, Lord Vishnu’s attendants, stand in guard at the entrance.
The Sreekovil is surrounded by a rectangular lake. The Gopuram, the temple edifice, and the Sreekovil are connected by a small bridge. On the outer walls of the Sreekovil there are marvellous and ancient mural paintings on Puranic themes. To protect these paintings an outer wall was constructed around the Sreekovil in recent times.
The Legend about the temple associates it with the great mystic and devotee of Lord Vishnu, Sree Vilvamangalathu Swami, who dominates the ancient spiritual lake of Kerala. In fact, his fame for extends the borders of Kerala. In Bengal he is popular as Bilvamgala. A legend associated with Vilvamangalathu Swami describes the temple as the Moolasthanam of Sri Padmanabha Swamy Temple of Thiruvananthapuram.
While Sage Vilvamangalthu Swami was doing penance in the holy spot, Lord Krishna used to visit him disguised as a mischivous little boy. One day he did some pranks on him while the swamigal doing his pooja. Swamigal, at his wits end, admonished the child and pushed him with his back hand. The Lord, transformed into a ball of divine aura hastened through the cave. A divne voice echoed “Now if you want to see me, come to Ananthankadu”. Then only Vilvamangalathu Swami realised that the boy was none other than his own lord. It is said that the sage also ran into the cave and going through the passage that formed there he reached the Seashore and from there travelled southwords in search of Ananthankadu, At last the sage reached a place which is the present location of Thiruvanathapuram, the capital of Kerala, where he had the splendrons vision of Lord Vishnu. It was at this holy spot Eventually Sri Anantha Padmanabha Swamy Temple of Thiruvanathapuram came up. On the north-East corner of the lake there is still a big cave with a small pit with a parennial presence of water in it, Which is considered as a sacred Theertham. It is beleivered to be the cave where boy Krishna disappeared.
Near the south-west corner of the lake there is a shrine housing a very graceful idol of Sreekrishna believed to have been the same idol worshipped by Sri Vilvamangalathu Swamy. Refer the book Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple written by Smt. Ashwathi Thirunal Gowri Lekshmi Bai of Travancore Royal Family.
The idol of Sri Anantha Padmanabha Swamy and other idols are neither metal or stone, but made of a rare combination of more than 108 materials called Kadu-Sarkara-Yogam. Today this rare combination is known only to an aged artisan, Sri Subrahmanyan Achary and family of Vaikom.
A very unusual phenomenon of this temple is the presence of a single crocodile in the temple lake, named ‘Babia’. By tradition, the lake is inhabited by a single crocodile and in the memory of the very aged men the present crocodile happens to be the third one they have seen. When one crocodile dies another one invisibly appears in the lake and this continues to be an unexplained phenomenon. There is no river or pond nearby where crocodiles exist. The Crocodile is friendly and harmless to human being. Its presence in the lake around the Mahavishnu temple reminds one of the well-known Gajendra Moksha Stories in the Bhagavatha Puranam.
Visitors can take a boat ride to the temple, which adds to the overall experience. The temple is also known for its intricate carvings and beautiful paintings, which are a sight to behold.
Tips to Visitors
1. The temple is open from 5:30 am to 12:30 pm and then from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm. The timings may change on festival days, so it’s advisable to check beforehand.
2. The crocodile in the temple lake was considered sacred and is believed to be a guardian of the temple.
3. Photography is not allowed inside the temple, so it’s better to check with the temple authorities before doing so.
Nellikunnu Beach
Nellikunnu Beach is a beautiful and secluded beach located in Kasaragod. Nellikunnu Beach is a serene and picturesque beach that is perfect for relaxing and enjoying the natural beauty of the area.
You can also take a dip in the sea or go for a walk along the shore. Additionally, there are some small food stalls near the beach that offer local delicacies.
Tips to Visitors
There are a few budget hotels and homestays in Kasaragod that offer comfortable accommodation. You can also find some luxury resorts near the beach.
Govinda Pai Memorial Museam
The Govinda Pai Memorial is a museum and research center located in the town of Manjeshwar in Kasaragod. It is dedicated to the life and works of Govinda Pai, a famous Indian poet and scholar who lived in the early 20th century.
The museum is a popular destination for literature enthusiasts and scholars who want to learn more about Pai’s contributions to Indian literature and culture. It also hosts regular events and workshops related to literature and poetry.
Tips to Visitors
1. Plan your visit in advance and check the museum’s opening hours. The museum is closed on Sundays and public holidays.
2. The museum hosts regular events and workshops related to literature and poetry. Check the museum’s website or social media pages for updates on upcoming events.
Shree Cheerumba Bhagavathi Temple, Narayanamangalam
Shree Cheerumba Bhagavathi Temple is situated at the border city of Kumbla in Kerala State, as a temple of Hindu minority of the locality. The temple is one of the oldest Devee temples of north Kerala. It is a known fact that the present Kasaragod District was part and parcel of the erstwhile South Kanara District under Madras Presidency, till the reorganization of the States. Shree Cheerumba Bhagavathi Temple has got aged longed glories of the mother Goddess Shree Bhagavathi. Deva Chinthana was conducted in the temple in the year 2006. It was revealed in the ‘Deva chinthana’ held in the year 2006 that the prathishta of Shree Cheerumba Bhagavathi is Swayambhu related to the presiding
Deity of Kollur Mookamboka Temple. Deva Chinthana further revealed that Adi Shankara after prolonged meditation for years together, could succeed in taking Adi Parashakthi from Kollur to his native place in Kerala. On their way, they reached Pangod vayal by the side of holy river Chandragiri at Kasaragod, then ruled by the king of Kumbla Dynasty. It has been revealed that the Goddess refused to move further and had taken rest at the site where Shree Cheerumba Bhagavathi Temple is presently situated.
Temple Hours: Monday to Sunday from 6:00 am – 8:00 pm
Naikap and Narayanamangalam are two small villages near Kumbla town. These two villages come on the Kumbla – Badiyadka highway. Narayanamangalam is a very small hamlet with not many restaurants and shops. You can only find two bus stops called Bhaskar Nagar and Narayanamangalam on this busy road. There are a few shops selling bananas and cigarettes at every 200 meter distance. This area is famous for bigger educational organizations like Malik Deenar MBA College, Khansa College for Advanced Studies, Little Lilli School and C.H. High school. This is essentially an RSS area with several temples and mutts of great importance. The star attraction is the Lake temple at Anantapur near Kumbla.
