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Janardanaswamy is 2000 years old temple situated in Varkala town of Kerala. The temple is around 1km from the beach. It is dedicated to lord Janardan, considered as a form of lord Vishnu. It is also known more popularly as Dakshin Kashi (Benares of the south). The temple sports an ancient bell, removed from a shipwreck of a Dutch vessel which sank on the coast without any casualties. The temple has a four-armed deity of Sri Janardana which is dressed in a different Vishnu incarnation every day.
There is a interesting story behind the temple. One day sage Narada, was returning to see Brahma. Lord Vishnu enchanted by Narada’s music followed him to Brahmalok. Lord Brahma offered salutations to Lord Vishnu, but Lord Vishnu being caught off guard disappeared. The devas laughed on seeing this and thus cursed by Brahma to born on earth. Narada told them to perform penance at the place his ‘Valkalam’ fell. The name Varkala is said to be corruption of ‘Valkala’.
