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Ambalapuzha Sree Krishna Temple, affectionately revered across South India as the Dakshina Guruvayur (Guruvayur of the South), sits in the historic temple town of Ambalappuzha 14 km south of Alleppey (Alappuzha), Kerala.

Constructed between the 15th and 17th centuries AD by King Pooradam Thirunal Devanarayanan of the local Chembakassery royal dynasty, this sacred Vaishnavite sanctuary is renowned for traditional Kerala temple architecture, its Parthasarathy deity, and its legendary sweet milk pudding offering.

It's the home of the world famous Ambalapuzha Palpayasam prepared daily in giant brass cauldrons, the sacred black granite idol of Lord Krishna holding a whip and divine conch, the historic stage where 18th century poet Kunchan Nambiar originated the classical Ottamthullal dance art, and a vast temple pond.

It represents a rich cultural and spiritual center where classical temple arts, royal Travancore temple traditions, ancient culinary legends, and soulful Vaishnavite devotion unite in coastal Kuttanad.

Located along National Highway 66 and the Ambalappuzha Thiruvalla Road, it sits 14 km south of Alleppey town, 1.5 km from Ambalapuzha Railway Station, and 95 km south of Cochin International Airport, easily accessible by train, bus, and taxi.

Parthasarathy Form & The Royal Chembakassery Legacy

The sanctum sanctorum enshrines Lord Krishna in his majestic Parthasarathy manifestation as the charioteer of warrior prince Arjuna during the Mahabharata war at Kurukshetra.

Carved from smooth black granite, the deity holds a whip (Chabuk) in his right hand and the sacred conch (Panchajanya) in his left hand, radiating calm divine authority.

Truth is, in 1789 during Tipu Sultan's military raid through Malabar, the main idol of Lord Guruvayurappan was secretly evacuated from Guruvayur and hidden safely inside the Ambalapuzha temple complex for over a year to prevent desecration.

The Legend of Ambalapuzha Palpayasam & The Chess Game

The temple is globally famous for its sacred prasadam, the sweet pink tinted boiled milk pudding known as Ambalapuzha Palpayasam.

According to Puranic legend, Lord Krishna appeared before the local Raja in the disguise of a traveling sage and challenged him to a game of chess. When the Raja asked what prize he desired, the sage asked for rice grains doubled on each square of the 64 square chessboard (1, 2, 4, 8, 16...).

Upon losing, the King realized that even the world's entire harvest could not fulfill the debt. The Lord then revealed his true form and told the King he could pay the debt by serving free sweet milk pudding to visiting devotees in perpetuity.

Birthplace of Ottamthullal & Temple Festivals

Birth of Ottamthullal: The courtyard of this temple is where the legendary 18th century Malayalam satirist poet Kunchan Nambiar invented the classical solo dance art form Ottamthullal, using humor and sharp social commentary to entertain common people.

Ambalapuzha Arattu Festival: Celebrated annually during the Malayalam month of Meenam (March April), this 10 day festival features caparisoned elephant pageants, traditional Panchavadyam percussion, and the famous Chambakulam Moolam water boat carnival.

After receiving darshan and tasting the divine Palpayasam at Ambalapuzha, head into Alleppey to embark on a backwater houseboat cruise, visit the historic Alappuzha Beach pier, and explore the nearby Mullakkal Rajarajeswari Temple.