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Home > Temples of Kerala > Palluruthy Sree Dhanwanthari Temple Palluruthy Sree Dhanwanthari TempleAbout one kilometre west of the National Highway 47 at Palluruthy, there stands a temple dedicated to Lord Dhanwantharii the Physician of Gods. He is worshipped under the name Dhanwanthari Narayana. The idol of the Lord Dhanwanthari installed in the temple is one foot, seven and half inches in height and is of Krishna Sila (black granite stone). The Lord wears a Veshti which has graceful folds and the central folds fall neatly between the legs which wears Anklets and Kankana. In the right upper hand the Lord Dhanwanthari holds Chakra (wheel) while the left upper hand holds Shanka (Counch). In the lower right hand a Leach is fmnly held between the index finger and the thumb and the other fingers stand upright showing the Abhaya pose. In the left lower hand the Lord holds a pot with nector that is Amrita. The idol stands on a circular inverted Lotus pedastal which is set upon a square peeta. The deity wears Bhuja Kireetas and crown with all other ornaments. The Garbhagriha, Sanctum Sanctorum, of the temple is square in shape showing the Nagara style of Hindu architecture. Dhanwanthari Narayana is worshipped as the incarnation of Vishnu, also known as 'Ayurveda Moorthi' by Gowda Saraswath Brahmins settled down in Cochin and in the adjoining village of Mattancherry called Palluruthy. Belief has it amongst the devotees that Lord comes to the resque of the people suffering from physical illness. Gowda Saraswath Brahmins residing in Kerala are descendents of those Gowda Saraswaths who came over Kerala from Sasati Pradesh of Goa when the Portuguese established their inquisition in Goa, in 1560 AD. They brought with them their most precious possession, their Kula Devatas and settled down in places like Cherthala, Palluruthy, Tripunithura, Kodungallur and Ernakulam. While establishing those new settlements in Kerala, they always took care to strictly adhere to their ancestral heritage in spiritual, religious, educational and commercial area of life. One of the families that came along with migrants for their settlement in Kerala belonged to Bhembre family of Goa. They are called by family surname 'Prabhus'. They settled down in nearby village of Mattancherry called Palluruthy and named the place of their settlement as 'Bhembrekad' and installed the deity at Palluruthy brought by them from Goa. Bhembre Prabhus were proficient in Ayurveda. In the line of descendants of Ayurvedic physicians there was born one Babha Sarma Prabhu. He was a great devotee of Lord Dhanwanthari, the Physician of the Gods. While on asleep one day Lord Dhanwanthari appeared in the dream and told him that a silpi would carve out of the granite stone the image of Dhanwanthari which he should install in a temple and do worship as the Lord had decided to come over his place to bless and give solace to the minds of those men suffering from physical illness. As said in the dream one silpi appeared and as per the wish of Babha Sarma Prabhu the silpi carved out the granite stone the image of Lord Dhanwanthari and handed it over to Babha Sarma Prabhu for perfanning Prathishta. Bhaba Sarma Prabhu constructed a temple and Prathishta was performed and poojas commenced. There are many instances, including the Maha Raja of Cochin, that proclaim the healing touch of Lord Dhanwanthari irrespective of caste and religion. The important sevas are Devak Deevap, Thulabharam, Thailabhishekam, Satya Narayana Pooja etc. One day long Akhand Bhajan is performed every year before the Lord. A 3 day long Aarat festival, main festival, is celebrated in the Malayalam month Medam when moon is in conjuction with Makam star. 'Dhanwanthari Jayanthi' another auspicious day celebrated with gaiety and piety every year. A Kalyana Mantap was constructed nearby the temple which is given for conducting Marriages Upanayanams. The temple is now under the management of a trust under the name 'Sri Dhanwanthari Devaswom' created by the members of the family belonging to the late Dewan Peishkar and Chief Secretary of the erstwhile Cochin State Bhembrekad Sri A. Madhava Prabhu. Sree Dhanwanthari Devaswom, Dhanwanthari Temple Road, Palluruthy, Cochin - 682 006.
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