Chelakkara - Lekshmi Narasimhaya Namo Nama

The Sri Lekshmi Narasimhamoorthy temple at Chelakkara, a small town in Thrissur district on North-Eastern district border enshrines Lord Narasimha moorthi, who rewarded Prahalada for his ardent devotion, stands in all its glory in the very heart of Chelakkara Gramam itself.

It is beleived that the installation of Lord Narasimha was done by a sage, a yatheeswara who was a disciple of the Sri Sankaracharya, about 300 years ago. Lore has it that he brought the idol and installed at the present site. Be as it as may, the presiding deity in his benevolence showers his blessings on all those who worship him devotedly. The idol is of Chathurbahu Vishnu, Lord Vishnu with four arms, but is worshiped in the disposition of Lord Narasimha. Besides Lord Narasimha, Lord Ganapathi and Lord Ayyappa are also worshipped in this temple and devotees throng during festival days. 

Ganapathy homam is performed daily at this temple and it is beleived that this is being done ever since the temple was built. The major celebration of the temple is the Navarathri festival extending upto Dwadasi day, that is 12 days of festivities. As per the traditions followed by earlier generations, groups of families residing in chelakkara gramam conduct the functions in a fitting manner. 11 days are celebrated by the groups and the 12th day is known as Dwadashi vilakku or Kuttikal vilakku is the most famous of the 12 days. 

The available records indicate that this temple originally belonged to Palakkad, Perada namboothiri illams from whom the ownership came to be transfered to the incumbents, Kaipanchery mana and Manithara mana.
 

A committee was later formed under the auspices of the brahmana samooham and with the blessings of His Holiness Jjagatguru Sri Jayendra Saraswathi swamikal of Kanchi Kamakoti Mutt, who visited the temple in 1971, it was possible to conduct rennovation and Maha kumbhabhishekam of the temple on 1972 solely from funds collected from devoted public.

In 1976 a trust, by the name 'Chelakkara Sree Narasimhamoorthy Swamy Trust' was formed and the trustees took over the day-to-day running of the temple, its maintenance and supervision of the daily rituals.