Sree Venu Gopala Swamy, Purakkad

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Sree Venu Gopala Swamy Temple, Purakkad is a historic Hindu temple in Purakkad, Alappuzha, Kerala. The main deity is Sree Venu Gopala Swamy (Venu Gopal Krishna). Built about 400 years ago, it is one of the oldest Gowda Saraswat Brahmin temples.

Overview
- Deity: Venu Gopala Swamy
- Location: Purakkad, Alappuzha district, Kerala, India
- Tradition: Gowda Saraswat Brahmin
- Architecture: Kerala temple style
- Elevation: not typically cited in simple descriptions

History in brief
- During Portuguese rule in Goa, many Gowda Saraswat Brahmins migrated to preserve their culture and settled in Purakkad, Calicut, Cochin, Mangalore, and other coastal towns.
- The Raja of Chembakassery (Ambalapuzha) welcomed the Gowda Saraswats to Purakkad and granted land to build a community and its temple.

Recent milestones
- A grand re-consecration ceremony (Puna-Prathishtta) was held on 28 January 2011, with blessings from Shri Sudhindra Thirtha Swamiji of Kashi Math Samsthan, marking an important spiritual renewal for the temple.

Temple features
- The sanctum (garbhagriha) houses the main idol in a multi-idol setup (Bahu-vera Vidhana).

Festivals
- Krishna Janmashtami
- Kartika Purnima
- Navratri

Summary
Sree Venu Gopala Swamy Temple in Purakkad is a long-standing Gowda Saraswat temple dedicated to Venu Gopal, with a history tied to migrations during colonial times and a notable re-consecration in 2011. It remains a center for worship and cultural tradition in Kerala.