Sree Venu Gopala Swamy Temple, Purakkad

Sree Venu Gopala Swamy Temple stands in Purakkad, an old port town in Alappuzha district, and is counted among the oldest Gowda Saraswath temples. It was built about 400 years ago. Its story begins with Portuguese rule in Goa, when forced conversions led many Gowda Saraswat Brahmin families to move to ports such as Mangalore, Calicut, Cochin and Purakkad. At Purakkad the Raja of Chembakassery (Ambalapuzha) received them and gave land for their settlement and temple.

Sree Venu Gopala Swamy is the principal deity, and the sanctum follows the Bahu-vera arrangement, with more than one idol installed together. The temple was reconsecrated on 28 January 2011 by Shri Samyamindra Thirtha Swamiji of the Kashi Math. Families of the community bring their children here for the Devak Deevop and Sodovop rites, and the main festivals are Karthik Pournami, Navarathri and Janmashtami.