One of the most famous temples in India, Guruvayoor Sree Krishna Temple, situated at Guruvayoor in Thrissur District, acclaimed as “Bhooloka Vaikunta “(Vaikunta of the Earth) has a history of at least 5000 years.  It is believed that the main idol was installed by Brihaspati and Vayu (Jupiter and Wind) and blessed by Lord Siva and Goddess Parvathi. The divine architect, Viswakarma is believed to have constructed this temple. Apart from mythological references there is historical evidence, connected with famous men and women that add to the glory of the temple.The fourteenth century Tamil work Kokasandesham refers to Kuruvayoor. But the most significant history begins with more “Naraayaneeyam” composed by Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiri. (1559 – 1632) and Poonthanam (1547 – 1640). Poonthanam started ardently praying to Lord Guruvayoorappan to beget a child. But the son who was born to him did not live long. He then settled in Guruvayoor. He became enlightened and spent the rest of his life reading the Bhagavatham and singing the Lord’s glories in simple Malayalam at Guruvayoor. He composed Bhashakarnamritham and Jnanapaana. Melpathur was a genius in the Kerala school of Mathematics and Astronomy. He too came to Guruvayoor to find some solace to the painful arthritis that he suffered from. It is believed that he composed Naraayaneeyam in 100 sections in 100 days and was cured of his ailment by that time.Vilwamangalam II (1575 – 1660) is believed to have had the ability to see the Lord in person so also was Kururamma (1570- 1640) a childless widow who accepted the Lord as her son as per the advice given by Poonthanam. She too is believed to have had the ability to see the Lord and treat her as an ordinary boy. Another legend is about Prince Manavedan of Calicut (1595 – 1658) He was an ardent devotee of Guruvayurappan and had seen the Lord stand under the Elanji tree in front of the Guryvayoor temple. He wrote about eight dramas to be performed as Krishnanaattam, as an offering to the Lord. The most famous Carnatic music singer from Kerala, Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar (1895 – 1974) was an ardent devotee of the Lord.  He believed that it was Guruvayoorappan who blessed him by restoring his voice many a time.  Another endearing legend is about Nenmini Unni, the 12-year-old son of the priest of Guruvayoor. His father instructed him to offer the Nivedyam to the Lord one day as he had to go out. The boy believed that the Lord would actually eat the rice. As this did not happen, he brought some salted mango and curd to make it tastier. When the Nivedyam remained untouched even then the boy began to cry lamenting that his father would beat him. Then the Nivedyam disappeared and the boy was happy. But the Variyar who had the right to take the Nivedyam home did not believe the boy’s words and accused him of having eaten the rice. As the father was about to punish the boy there was an incorporeal voice that informed them that it was the Lord who had eaten the rice.  This temple, so rich in legends and revelations of experiences of the power and love of the Lord for the devotees, had to be rebuilt in 1970 after a fire razed the Chuttambalam and the entire Vlakkumadam .But the sanctum remained untouched and the idols of the Lord, Ganapathy, Shastha and Bhagavathy were removed to safer places. Renovation was completed according to the plans made by eminent experts in temple architecture and approved after astrological consultations. The temple is built according to the tenets of   typical Kerala temple architecture. The structure is so finely designed that the first ray of the sun on the day of Vishu (1st day in the Malayalam month of Medam) falls directly at the feet of the Lord. The idol is believed to be in the form in which the Lord revealed himself to his parents Devaki and Vasudevar at the time of birth. The deity here, is in the standing pose.