Evoor Major Sri Krishnaswamy Temple

The Evoor Major Sri Krishnaswamy Temple is near Haripad in Alappuzha district. Legend links it to the burning of the Khandava forest in the Mahabharata: the sage Kanva asked Krishna to spare his image of Vishnu, and when Agni wished to give it a new temple, Arjuna shot an arrow to choose the site. Evoor is said to come from Eythoor, the place where the arrow was shot, and local names such as Karippuzha and Kannamangalam are read as echoes of the story.

About a century and a half ago the sanctum caught fire; the idol was saved, and King Moolam Thirunal, prompted by a dream while visiting Kashi, rebuilt the temple. The four-armed image holds a conch, discus and butter, and as the deity is in a fierce form, red-flower offerings are made here, unusual for Vishnu. The ten-day festival starts on the first of Makaram, with decorated bull effigies on the ninth day and the aarattu at the close.