Mohanlal's wife Suchitra, daughter Vismaya visit Kerala's ancient serpent shrine

For the past few days, Mohanlal's daughter Vismaya has been busy with promotions for her upcoming debut movie 'Thudakkam,' which will hit theatres on Friday. Ahead of the film's release, she recently visited a renowned ancient serpent shrine in Kerala's Alappuzha. Vismaya reportedly visited the famous Mannarasala Temple in Haripad, one of the state's largest ancient pilgrimage centres, with her mom, Suchitra Mohanlal.

A few years ago, Mohanlal had also visited the temple. In the past, many actors like Mallika Sherawat, Neha Saxena and Navya Nair have also prayed at the shrine, known for its massive serpent idol presence and the renowned fertility ritual of 'uruli kamazhthal.' A few years ago, when renowned snake rescuer Vava Suresh was undergoing treatment after suffering a dangerous snakebite, offerings were pouring in to this temple for his recovery.

An ancient temple
According to folklore, Lord Parasurama created the land of Kerala by throwing his battleaxe into the sea to atone for the sin of slaying the Kshatriyas. However, devotees believe that as the land was reclaimed from the ocean, the soil was highly saline, rendering it completely infertile and uninhabitable. Seeking a solution, Parasurama performed rigorous penance to Lord Siva, who revealed that only the presence of holy serpents could neutralise the salt and restore life to the soil. It's believed that Parasurama then meditated upon the King of Serpents, who agreed to grace the land with his eternal presence and consecrated the deities of Nagaraja, Sarpa Yakshi, Naga Yakshi, and Naga Chamundi, transforming the barren land into a lush, fertile sanctuary.

A sanctuary of sacred groves and ancient ponds
Spanning over 16 acres, nearly half of the temple estate comprises dense, untouched sacred groves or 'kaavus'. There are ten distinct groves inside the temple compound, catering to both Shaiva and Vaishnava practices. The 'Appuppan Kaavu' grove here is dedicated to the five-faced Anantha, while Kuriyamkaavu is dedicated to Lord Shastha. To the left of the path leading to the cellar is the 'Nagayakshikaavu,' which houses numerous consecrated serpent idols brought over the centuries from various families across Kerala.

The temple is headed by a priestess known as 'Mannarasala Amma.' The prasad given here is a special turmeric powder, which devotees believe can cure many diseases. Its main festival is 'Ayilyam,' and it is conducted around the September-October period. The temple's sacred groves, or kavu, are also said to house many medicinal plants, creepers, and age-old trees. The temple welcomes respectful non-Hindu devotees as well, though they are expected to follow traditional prayer protocols and dress codes.