Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple

The Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple stands on the southern bank of the Pamba River in central Kerala and honours Krishna as Parthasarathy, the charioteer of Arjuna in the Mahabharata. It is one of the five ancient Pandava shrines of the Chengannur region; Arjuna is said to have built this one to atone for slaying the unarmed Karna. The place takes its name from the bamboo raft, made of six pieces, that carried its image to the site.

Counted among the hundred and eight Divya Desams, Vishnu temples glorified by the Tamil Alvar saints, it is built in the Kerala style and preserves wall paintings from the early 1700s.

It guards the golden Thanka Anki vestment of Ayyappan, presented by the rulers of Travancore and carried each year to Sabarimala; its riverside steps host the Aranmula snake-boat race every Onam season.