Ananthapadmanabhaswamy Temple or Anantha Lake Temple is built in the middle of a lake in the little village of Ananthapura, around 6 km from the town of Kumbla in Manjeshwaram Taluk of Kasaragod District of Kerala, India.

This is the only lake temple in Kerala and is of great significance because it is believed to be the principal seat of Ananthapadmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram. But that’s not the only thing this temple is known for. The temple is well known for a crocodile living in this lake. A crocodile, that is vegetarian. The crocodile named Babiya guards the temple and is said to be friendly enough to share the pond with the priests who sometimes take a dip there. 

According to the locals and the priests, Babiya consumes the food offered to the deity. The locals believe that Babiya doesn't even eat fish from the pond and follows a vegetarian diet consisting of cooked rice and jaggery. Babiya has been living there for over 70 years, residing in a cave adjacent to the pond.

According to a popular legend or belief, a British officer shot a crocodile living in the temple complex in 1945. Soon, he lost his life due to a snake bite. People believe that the officer died due to the curse of Lord Vishnu. Surprisingly, a few days later, another crocodile appeared. Interestingly, only one crocodile lives in the temple complex. If one disappears, the other one appears but at no time will you be able to see more than one reptile here.

© Beyond the Indian Myths

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