The “STHALA PURANAM” of Sri Navaneetha Krishna Swamy Temple - Swamy Keezha Arasalwar Dharmam -Veera Kerala Varmapuram Gramam

The Puradhana Kovil of Sri Navaneetha Krishna Swamy Temple is from the period 1382 AD.        

The king of Travancore Chera Udaya Marthanda Varma popurlaly known as Kulasekara Perumal ruled Nanjinadu – Thiruvanandapuram on the south, Pathnapuram on the north, Shencottah on the east with Kulasekarapuram as capital.

The king Sri Udaya Marthanda Varma granted several lands as Devadayam and Brahmadayam to the Brahmin settlers in village Karkudy and Shencottah.

In 1744 his son Adithya Varma and in 1532 his nephew Sri Marthanda Varma ruled the state and granted several lands to individual Brahmins at Shencottah and the Royal family patronized the Brahmins.

In 1652 to 1726 Rama Varma the uncle of Marthanda Varma Maharaja - the maker of modern Travancore ruled and in 1700 Shencottah was under RAJA VEERA KERA KERALA VARMA and the Raja settled the Brahmana Samookam on the banks of Harihara Nadhi and granted several lands to the Brahmin settlers. The Brahmana Samookam named the Gramam as Veerakerala Varmapuram Gramam in honour of the Raja Veera Kerala Varma. In 1700 AD the Brahmins established a Dharmam to honour the original king of Travancore and Raja Veera Kerala Varma named this Dharmam as Veerakerala Varmapuram Grama Dharmam.  As a mark of respect and remembrance of our Raja Chera Udaya Marthand Varma planted a Aswatha Arasu tree representing Kulasekara Arasu – Raja Udaya Marthanda Varma.

This Dharmam named as Keezha Arasalvar Chatram is established to conduct charity in memory and glory of the king Chera Udaya Marthanda Varma.

In 1895 AD a temple for the worship of the Gramam SRI NAVANEETHA KRISHNA SWAMY and MAHA GANAPATHI was installed and the Dharmam is named as Swamy Keezha Arasalvar Dharmam. All the references are in the Travancore State manual Volume-II, Pages 270 to 274.

The main object of the Dharmam are:

1.    Vyadeheepatham Brahmana Bhojanam,

2.    Dwadhasi Brahmana Bohjanam,

3.    Daily feeding of poor Brahmins,

4.    Conducting Vidvad Sabha

5.    Varuna Preethi Homam,

6.    Childrens Kollattam,

7.    Grant of Srimoola Vilasam library,

8.    Educating poor children,

9.    Marriage and Upanayanam Sambavanai,

10.  Perunthara Pavadai Brahmana Bohjanam.

The temple and the Japa Mandapam, Artha Mandapam and the Vasantha Mandapam , Aswatha Arasu Mandapam  are established in memory of the Maharaja spreads  the blessing to all with VAMSA VRIDDHI and SAKALASOWBHAGYAMS.