Panniyur Sri Varahamurthy

The Panniyur Sri Varahamurthy Temple at Kumbidi, near Ponnani in northern Kerala, is dedicated to Varaha, the boar avatar of Vishnu, enthroned with the earth goddess Bhumi. It is counted among the 108 Abhimana Kshethras of the Vaishnava tradition.

Kerala tradition calls it the first temple of the land: after Parashurama reclaimed the country from the sea, Vishnu bade him worship his boar form, and he consecrated the image with his own hands. The shrine is said to have held primacy from roughly 800 BC to 600 AD; stone engravings record the thousand-member Panniyuraayiram, which ran its rites and festivals.

In Kerala folklore the master carpenter Perumthachan rebuilt the sanctum. When the work was done he cast down his chisel and measuring rod, which were kept at the temple as relics.