TEMPLE PONDS OF KERALA

Ponds are integral to our temples, especially in South India; even more so in Kerala. Many temples have “kulam” (Malayalam for Pond) suffixed to their names. Probably intended for ritual purification before stepping into the temples, they are rarely used nowadays for this purpose. But there are some who still venture down the often treacherous steps to dip their feet in water. The ponds provide a picturesque backdrop to many temples and make for great photos. Here are some specimens from my 8-day long trip across Kerala

Let me begin with the grand temple of Padmanabhaswamy Temple of Thiruvananthapuram

This is the pond in front of another sprawling temple, the iconic Sreekrishna Temple of Ambalapuzha

This is actually a river - Theevra (also known as Purayar) - on the banks of which is the famous Rama Temple of Triprayar. Feeding fish is a popular ritual here. 

The Narasimhamurthy Temple at Chelakkara in Palakkad

And this is a rather concealed pond of the Pazhayannur Bhagavathy Temple

The Bhagavathy Temple, my ancestral temple, at Perumgulankara, Palakkad

And finally, this absolutely stunning image of the Emoor Bhagavathy Temple, Palakkad.

Please do leave your feedback and share your images/memories of temple ponds.