Temples

Guru realised that social degradation had its source with the denial of education and barring from entry into the temples. He decided to bestow dignity and self -respect to the marginalised section of the population. Thus began a series of temple installations commencing with the consecration of a Shiva temple at Aruvippuram in  the early morning hours of Shivratri (1888).

The consecration of the temple was highly significant as it was the beginning of the epoch making attempt to wipe out man- made distinctions and proclaim Guru’s philosophy of human  equality  and fraternity as captured in his motto displayed at the entrance to the temple:

This is a model abode where all harmoniously shall live

Without communal clash and religious rivalries.

Guru also started a Gurukulam and a Sanskrit school to instruct the youth through lessons in scriptures. This was a revolutionary vindication of the primary right of each person to worship in a temple and to get educated.

Guru proceeded with his programme of constructing new temples in different parts of Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu as well as in Sri Lanka. He consecrated deities in 50 places of worship. Among them are:  Mannanthala Devi Temple (1889), Kunnumpara Subramanya Temple (1899), Aayiram Tengu Prathishta (1892), Poothotta Sree Narayana Vallabha Temple, Ernakulam (1893), Sree Kulathoor Kolathukara Shiva Temple, Thiruvananthapuram (1893), Earathu Sree Subrahmanya Temple /Sree Dharmashastha Temple, Kayikkara, Thiruvananthapuram (1893), Bhagavathi temple at Kunnazathu ,Karunagappalli (1895), Subrhamaniya temple Vazhamuttam, Kunnumpara, (1898), Subrhamaniya temple Thammandi, Kumaramangalam, Ernakulam (1904 ), The Sree Bhakthi Samvardhini Yogam, Kannur (1907), Thalasserry  Jaganatha Temple, Kannur (1908), Sivagiri Sarada Mutt (1912),  Kudroli Sri Gokarnatheshwara temple, Mangalore, Karnataka (1912), Sreekandeswaram temple, Kozhikode(1912), Aaluva Advaitha Ashramam (1914), Sree Bhavaneeswara Temple, Palluruthy (1914), Sree Narayaneswaram Temple, Ernakulam(1914), Sri Jnaneswara temple at Anchuthengu (1915), Sree Maheshwara Temple at Koorkkancheri, Thrissur (1916), Sundareswara Temple Kannur(1916), Peringottukara Sree Somasekhara temple, Thrissur (1918), Karamukku Temple ,Thrissur (1920),   Murukumpuzha Sree Kalakandeshwara Temple, Thiruvananthapuram (1921), Cherthala Kalavankodam temple , Alappuzha (1927).

Some of the other temples built by Guru are: Puthiya Kavu Subrahmanya Temple (Vakkom), Vakkom Subrahmanya Temple /Velayudhan Nada (Vakkom) , Vakkom Deveshwara Temple, / Puthan Nada, Mannanthala Anandavalleshwaram Temple(Thiruvananthapuram), Anjuthengu Sreekapaleshwara Temple (Thiruvananthapuram), Anjuthengu Sree Swamy Madom Temple, Vealikkattu Sree Narayanamangalam Kartikeya Temple, (Kollam), Kunninezath Sree Narayana Bhoovaneshwari Temple (Kozhikod), Kumbalangy Sree Ardhanareeshwara Temple (Kochi), Moothakunnam Sree Narayanamangalam Temple ( North Paroor, Ernakulam), Kumarakom Sree Kumaramangalam Subrahmanya Temple( Kottayam), Vezhapra Shaktiparambu Temple (Ramankary, Alappuzha), Sree Pillayar Kovil (Kottar, Nagarcoil,T N), Cherai Sree Gowreeshwara Temple( Ernakulam), Mezhuveli Sree Anandabhuteshwaram Temple( Kozhanchery, Pathanamthitta), Thrupunithura Sree Pottayil Devi Temple( Ernakulam), Nagambadam Sree Mahadevar Temple( Kottayam), Ootuparambu Sree Ardha Nareeshwara Temple( Kadakkavoor, Thiruvananthapuram), Sreenarayanapuram Sree Maheshwara Temple ( Koorkenchery, Thrissur), Peringottukara Sree Somasekharam Temple ( Tannyam, , Thrissur), Nellikkunnu Sree Subrahmanya Temple( Kasaragod), Palakkunnu Sree Bhagavati Temple( Uduma, Kasaragod), Vaikom Sree Narayaneshwaram Subrahmanya Temple ( Kottayam), Valappad Sree Bhadrachala Subrahmanya Temple( Thrissur), Kandassamkadavu Sree Chidambara Temple (Thrissur), Cherthala Sree Kandeshwaram Sree Mahadeva Temple(Alappuzha), Mangad Sree Kumarapuram Temple( Kollam), Chempazanthi Manakkal Temple( Thiruvananthapuram), Bharananganam Sree Balasubrahmanya Temple( Meenachil, Kottayam), Poonjar Thekkekara Aakalpantha Prashobhini Sree Subrahmanya Temple ( Kottayam) , Vadayar Sree Brahmapuram (Mathaanam) Temple(ThalayolaParambu, Kottayam), Koduvazhannoor Chernnamangalam Siva Temple( Thiruvananthapuram),  Vayalar Sree Shakteeshwaram Temple(Alappuzha), Vaikom Ullala Omkareshwara Temple (Kottayam), Arumanoor Sree Nayinaar Deva Temple ( Thiruvananthapuram), Manathala Sree Vishwanatha Temple( Gurupadapuri, Chavakad, Thrissur), Alamthuruthi Vallabhasseril Siva Temple (Tiruvalla), Koovappadi  Sree Sankara Narayana Temple( Cheranellur, Ernakulam), Katiravan Kunnu Sree Balasubrahmanya Swamy Temple( Puthoor, Kollam), Pullazhi Sree Narayana Maheshwara Temple( Thrissur),

Myladum Kunnu Bhajana Madom Subrahmanya Temple (Anappad, Thiruvananthapuram) Thekkumbhagam Sree Ghuhanandapuram Temple ( Chavara, Kollam), Kuppana Sree Velayudhamangala Temple( Kollam), Sree Amruthamkulangara Temple(Kollam), Thachankonam Bhuvaneshwari Temple (Varkala), Kanjiramkulam Sree Chidambaranatha Temple( Oottara, Thiruvananthapuram), Nandyattukunnam Sree Kalikulangara Temple ( Paravoor, Ernakulam), Kayippuram Sanmargasandayini Sree Anandasayaneshwaram Temple( Muhamma, Alappuzha), Njarakkal Sree Shaktidhara Temple( Vaipin, Ernakulam), Puliyannur Sree Narayana Temple( Meenachil, Kottayam), Aashraamam Sree Narayanapuram Temple( Kollam), Nedunganda Plavazhikam Devi Temple( Varkala), Pampadi Shivadarshana Devaswom Temple( Kottayam),  Elankavu Sree Bhagavati Temple(Mullakkal, Alappuzha), Vadanappilli Sree Ganeshamangalam Temple( Thrissur), Pampadi Sree Suryanarayanapuram Temple( Kottayam) , Kurichikara Sree Balasubrahmannya Temple( Thrissur), Thruthala Dharmagiri Sree Subrahmanya Swamy Temple( Palakkad), Kudakkalam Madam (Guruswamy Mutt) ( Thalassery, Kannur), Pilackool Sri Narayana Velayudhan Kovil (Thalassery, Kannur), Bhadrakali Temple( Mysore), Kottar Ganapathi Temple and mirror consecration at Bhavani Temple  (Erode).

In establishing these temples and the groves, libraries, lecture halls, educational institutions and industries attached to them, Guru envisaged enriching the people culturally.  He launched His educational programmes through temples and lectures at temples because  his main thrust was education, temples were his tools. These temples and attached institutions  propagated Guru’s lofty ideals of ‘Satya, Dharma and Samathwa.’