Peringavu Sree Mahavishnu Temple is a rarity among the rural temples of Southern Kerala. It is a temple where centuries-old rituals are still followed religiously and where the temple festivities still have that old-world charm. Lord Mahavishnu is the presiding deity of the temple. All the ten incarnations of Lord Mahavishnu are worshipped here, another uncommon practice in the Vishnu temples. Located picturesquely atop a grassy hill and surrounded by an assortment of village flora, the temple has a Sanctum Sanctorum that is carved out of a few ancient stones. The temple also has a garden of some rare varieties of trees, which are seen these more days only in botanical gardens and deep forests. This is not to say that the temple has not embraced modernity. True to the Hindu philosophy, the soul of the temple remains adherent to the classical scriptures, while the body has gone on to acquire modern postures. The nearest town is Attingal which is about 35 km away from the capital city of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram. For tourists, the good news is that the temple is near Varkala, the famous beach town that hosts another rarity, giant cliffs adjacent to the sea. The place Mevarkal was once known as Melvarkala, meaning in vernacular nearby Varkala or over Varkala. Varkala Beach is about 20 km away from the temple. When coming by NH 47, turn to Kilimanoor Road at Alamcode junction and turn left from Alamcode High School junction. A winding road from there through lush green paddy fields will take you to the temple. You can also reach the temple from MC Road, by turning to Attingal Road from Kilimanoor. The temple is estimated to have been built in the fifteenth century. The complete stone architecture exquisite sculpture and delicate stone-cutting vouch for its antiquity. While no written records of the temple’s history exist, rural legends have it that the temple was built by a Brahmin family which arrived at Mevarkal in the 15th century from Thrissur, with the help of some Nair families that accompanied them. The land was granted to them by the then-Attingal queen, who was a subordinate ruler of the erstwhile Travancore dynasty. The early progress and development of the region were attributed to the fame of the temple. The picture-perfect surroundings and hilly terrain with an ever-present breeze made the temple unique among the other rural temples. However, the temple decayed at the start of the 20th century. Renaissance efforts that started towards the end of the 20th century have borne fruits, as the temple is pretty close to regaining its lost glory now. The high point of the temple calendar is the 10-day festival, symbolising ten incarnations of Lord Mahavishnu. Each day is dedicated to an incarnation. The festival begins with the raising of the flag and ends with a momentous Aarattu (a procession involving elephants). There will be Annadanam (mid-day feast) on each of the festival days. During the evenings, apart from the special temple rituals, the stage is set for various art forms. The local talents in classical dance and singing usually stage their Arangettam (the first performance on stage) here. The festival also brings some of the traditional temple arts of Kerala, especially Kathakali, Ottan Thullal, Seethankan Thullal, Pathakam, and Krishnanattam, to name but a few, into the village. A heartening thing about Peringavu Sree Mahavishnu Temple is that the traditional rituals are maintained without any dilution or compromise. Some of the major rituals in the temple are Ashtadhara Archana, Bhagya Sooktharchana, Sudarsana Manthrarchana, Purusha Sooktharchana, Swayam Vararchana, Vidya Gopalarchana and Santhana Gopalarchana. We have not yet touched upon the most unique thing about the temple. That honour goes to the temple garden that boasts many rare trees. The main attraction is the trees that are mentioned and that have a special role in Hindu mythology and culture, such as Rudraksham, Maravuri, Nenmeni Vaka, Raktha Chandanam, Kumbil, Thambakam and Manimaruthu. In addition, the temple has all the Janma Nakshathra trees (that is, a tree for each Nakshathra or zodiac sign according to Indian astrology) in the garden. The Peringavu Sree Mahavishnu Temple is the abode of worship for serious pilgrims. This is a must-visit temple for those who have heartfelt devotion to Lord Mahavishnu. The ambience, the sculpture and the almighty power of the deity make the temple truly remarkable.