This famous temple is at Chelamattom in Ernakulam district. It has become famous as the Dakshina Kashi. The temple stands on the banks of the river Periyar. On the right side of the temple, the Periyar flows towards the east while it flows towards the west in all other areas. It is believed that Sri Sankaracharya changed the direction of the river here to enable him to perform the morning rituals after a bath. Lord Mahavishnu is consecrated in three forms at this temple - as Narasimha, Vamana and Sri Krishna. According to one legend a Brahmin family of Veliyakkol Mana used to worship a more self-originated idol of Siva known as Anthimahakala on the banks of the river Periyar. Once during the floods, some Pulaya women saw a box come floating down the river and tried to catch it. But they failed to get it even though it was not moving away from the spot. They informed the members of the Veliyakkol Namboothiri family about it. The Namboothiri was able to get the box easily and opened it to reveal an idol of Lord Krishna. At first, the Namboothiri worshipped the idol at his house. Then he built a sanctum near the Narasimhaswami temple and enshrined the idol there. Similarly, another Brahmin Thottamattom Namboothiri had a Vamana idol which he worshipped at home. Then he too realised that it was too powerful to be kept at home and consecrated it at a sanctum that he constructed at the Narasimhaswamy temple compound. This idol is in the form in which the Lord revealed his cosmic form to free the dead son of Sage Sandeepini from the Yamaloka. So, people gather here to offer rituals for the salvation of the souls of their dead ancestors.