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{{Short description|Hindu temple in Kerala, India}}
{{More citations needed|date=November 2009}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2019}}
{{Infobox Hindu temple
| name = Sree Balakrishna Swami Temple, Kuzhuppilly
| image =
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| map_type = 
| map_caption = Location in Kerala
| coordinates =
| country = [[India]]
| state = [[Kerala]]
| district =
| location = [[Kuzhuppilly]]
| elevation_m =
| deity = [[Balakrishna]]
| festivals =
| architecture =
| temple_quantity =
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}}

The '''Sree Balakrishna Swamy Temple, Kuzhuppilly''' of [[Goud Saraswat Brahmin]] (G.S.B.) community is in [[Kuzhuppilly]] village, [[Vypeen]] Island, [[Ernakulam district]], [[Kerala]], [[India]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gsbkerala.com/temple/kuzhupilly.htm |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2009-10-09 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090324093436/http://www.gsbkerala.com/temple/kuzhupilly.htm |archivedate=2009-03-24 }}</ref> The temple in the present form was completed in 1964 A.D.

==Other deities and Sub-temples==
There are sub-temples for [[Hanuman]], [[Garuda]], [[Ganapathy]], [[Laxmi]], [[Navagraha temples|Navagraha]] and [[Nagaraja]].

==History==
During the exodus of [[Goud Saraswat Brahmin]]s from [[Goa]] in the 16th century, many families settled down in and around Cochin. A prominent person among them (Venkateswara Pai alias Vensu Pai) settled in [[Kuzhupilly]] in the land given by the Raja of Cochin. Vensu Pai's son Anatha Pai once on his pilgrimage to [[Tirumala Venkateswara Temple|Tirupathi]], purchased some metal idols and dolls for his kids. There was an idol of [[Balakrishna]] among them. The children used them in their play and made [[Puja (Hinduism)|pooja]] to these idols. However, the children started to become sick regularly and used to have many health complaints. The elders considered that, it was due to not keeping the idol in sacred form, and started pooja. But the pooja was neither regular nor as per [[sastra]]. The suffering of the children continued and also there were some child deaths in the family. The worried Anantha Pai approached a known [[Astrologer]] Sri Adoor Chakrapani for a solution. The astrological prasnam and prediction revealed that a separate temple is to be built for the Balakrishna idol and regular poojas to be conducted. Sri Anantha Pai considered Balakrishna as his child and divided his properties among his children and Balakrishna. A small temple was constructed in the land given to Balakrishna and Prathista done in 1895 AD.

Over the period, there were internal conflicts in the family of Vensu Pai and the rituals in the temple suffered. The number of GSB families in the area also increased. It was felt that the community should have a common place for worship. Accordingly, the Balakrishna temple was offered to the community and the management was vested with the community in common. However, the Vensu Pai family was given a special status in the affairs of the temple. The samaj members proposed to construct a new temple in a more convenient location.

About one and half acres of land was given free by A. Govinda Shenoy and the work was started. But the progress was in snail's pace due to non-cooperation and lack of initiative among the members. It remained incomplete for more than 35 years.

Later, a group of youth formed a Seva Samithi and took the lead. They completed the work of [[Garbhagraha]] through free service and the [[Murti]] was shifted to this new temple in 1964 AD facing east. The improvements in the temple was a continuous effort. In the late eighties, the Aanapandal was constructed with decorated pillars. The committee members also took up construction of a shopping complex and [[Mandapa|Kalyana mandapam]]. There are extensive paintings of [[Daśāvatāra]] on the temple walls inside. The [[Dhvaja]] pratishta was done on 18-1-1991. The Centenary of the pratishta was celebrated in 1995 A.D.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==See also==
* [[Temples of Kerala]]

{{coord|10.110|N|76.202|E|display=title }}

[[Category:Hindu temples in Ernakulam district]]

Sree Balakrishna Swami Temple, Kuzhuppilly - Revision history

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