The Sri Sankaranarayana Temple at Navaikulam in Chirayinkil Taluk of Trivandrum district is located by the side of NH 47 in Trivandrum-Kollam segment, between Kallambalam and Paripalli (about 45 km north of Trivandrum). Set amidst a vast campus, the temple enshrines the synergistic idol of Lord Sankaranarayana (deity whose one half shows the attributes of Vishnu and the other that of Shiva). It is a temple complex, built of granite and has a number of granite sub-shrines.
Built on a circular plan, the temple, facing east is an example of Ekathala (single level) vimana, but it is approached through an impressive Balikkal mandapa associated with sculptured columns, four in numbers with beautiful images of the late Vijayanagara tradition. Here there is a definite predominance in the use of granite, the nalambalam, namaskara mandapa and other sub-structures are all built of this variety of stone. The temple was renovated undoubtedly in AD 1439 as can be gathered from the vattezhuthu inscriptions engraved on the west base of the central shrine. According to the text of the inscription the temple and the mandapa were built in stone and the central shrine having been covered with copper plates in that year itself. The Kumbhabhishekam was performed by the King Sri Vira Rama Marthandavarman Thiruvadi of Jayatunganadu and Kilpperur illam. It appears from the epigraph that the roof was covered with copper plates, but at present it carries a roof made of older small tiles which are not in vogue today. The other dated inscription, engraved on the balikkallu is very much damaged but the date, A. D. 1607 is discernible. Perhaps, the balikkal mandapa was added to it in this year by a private individual Kumaran Kandan of Eranadu.
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The circular shrine encloses a square garbha-grha (srikovil) made of granite. It has its own flight of steps and is encircled by a row of twelve columns along the inner ambulatory. Other structures within the nalambalam include Lord Ganapathi shrine facing west just south-east of the Srikovil, the covered Mathrushala containing the bali stones on the south side of the srikovil, the well on the north-east corner and the thidappalli in the south-east corner. As stated earlier, the srikovil is covered with small tiles, while the pyramidal roof of the namaskara mandapa is covered with Mangalore pattern tiles.
Both the valiambalam and nalambalam are of stone with tiled roof on woodwork. The valiambalam leads to the agramandapam which contains the large balikkallu framed by four ornamental granite pillars with carved sculptures. Particular mention has to be made of the large human size sculptures of Garuda and Hanuman. The rectangular agramandapam is enclosed by wooden slats for the major portion with two door openings on to the sides. There is a wooden sculpture of Lord Vishnu as Ananathasayi on the architrave above the main door leading to the valiambalam from the agramandapam. Beyond the nalambalam, on its outer periphery is the Vilakku Maadam structure circumambulating the nalambalam.
Outside the nalambalam are the flag-mast and the Aanakottil (the elephant portico) on the eastern side culminating in the dwarasala. The Lord Sastha shrine is located on the south-west side while Goddess Bhagavathi, Nagaraja and Yakshi are accommodated on the north-west side of the outer prakara. Daily rituals consist of five poojas, followed by Sreebali. Annual festival of ten days' duration is in Medam starting from Uthrittathi asterism. Prior to the start of the festival there is a tradition of Urul Varavu (Sayana Pradakshina) by members of 8 - 12 karas in the vicinity of the temple. Also from 2nd to 9th day of the festival there is a Gaja pradakshinam inside the nalambalam with the thidampu of the Lord Sankaranarayana on the elephant. These two traditions are unique in the Navaikkulam temple.
The power of performing tantric rites in this temple rests with Kulakkada Nampi Madom. A copper plate in the Trivandrum Museum dated 1522 AD refers to the entrusting of the administration the temple to the Akavur Mana by the people. When temple entry proclamation was made in erstwhile Travancore state in 1936 AD, the temple authorities had evinced lot of opposition. A unique stone inscription of the proclamation was erected in the West nada entrance to the temple. Subsquently the temple administration was taken over by the Government culminating in the seizure of the copper plates covering the Srikovil and many of its wealth. The temple is now managed by the Travancore Devaswom Board.
