Believe It! This Crocodile Is A VEGETARIAN And It Guards The 9th Century Ancient Temple
A Vegetarian Crocodile guards an Ancient Temple!
Perhaps, temples are guarded in so many ways by the authorities. But here is a naturally bounded temple in the God’s own country located at Kochi district. The most gripping fact of the temple is that many temples are fascinating and the picturesque Anantpura temple is inhabited by a crocodile that has been found in the water. It is said that the crocodile is a vegetarian by nature and also guards the temple. How riveting it would be when we found that an animal guards the temple! As India is said to be embedded with all mythical and amazing stories, this temple is also an interesting one to be visited.
Being a pond or lake temple, Anantapura Temple is built in the foothills of a hill. Did you know there are crocodiles found in its lake? Yes! It is believed that crocodiles have inhabited the temple in the 9th century but every time the crocodiles die in the lake, the next crocodile is produced and protects the temple. Enthralling with its environment, the temple provides peacefully entrancing feel. The temple welcomes almost every person irrespective of caste yet the crocodile present at this divine filled Lake Temple will never harm a single devotee.
Here is the story of Babia or Babiya, the crocodile – Babia is the crocodile that has been guarding the temple for more than 60 years and it is said that Babia is completely a vegetarian. It is fed regularly after the noon worship which is conducted by the temple and is given the prasads offered by the devotees. Babia does not even hunt the fishes present in the pond whereas it only consumes rice, coconut, jaggery, flour that are fed by the people. People feed her like an elephant by giving the Prasad in its mouth.
Yet another legend flows as a different narration of Babiya’s existence. Once Sree Vilvamangalathu Swami, the devotee of Lord Vishnu was doing his penance for his favorite lord. Midst of his prayers, Lord Krishna in the form of a little boy appeared and started to annoy him. When irritated by the behavior of the little boy, the saint pushed the boy aside and thus, the vanished into a nearby cave and then the truth was lighted on the saint. It is thus believed that the disappeared Krishna still exists in the temple and the crocodile is also believed to be an incarnation of Krishna. Also believed that if only you are fortunate enough you can see the crocodile in the pond. The crocodile thus protects the temple presently.
