According to the Puranas, this temple has a connection with the Mahabharata. Lord Sri Krishna presented his idol to the Pandavas during their 14 years of exile for daily worship. Thus, the Pandavas revered the idol throughout their exile. Upon completing their 14-year exile and preparing to return to their homeland, the local people earnestly requested the Pandavas to leave the idol behind for them to continue worshiping. The Pandavas graciously accepted this request and entrusted the idol to the local community. The people of Kerala's Serthalai region initially placed the statue in one location and offered their devotion. However, as time passed, they found it increasingly more challenging to maintain the statue, eventually deciding to cast it into the sea. Many years later, a saint known as Bilvamangala Swami, who was also a disciple of Adhishankara, was passing through the same area. The boat he was travelling in became immobile at one spot. To everyone's surprise, the water receded, revealing the statue of Krishna. The saint took possession of the statue and continued his journey westward. Strangely, the boat did not move westward but instead travelled eastward through Kunnam and Pallikaara, ultimately arriving at the location where the temple stands today. Upon reaching the temple, the saint discovered it devoid of any idols. He placed the Krishna statue within the temple and restored it to its rightful place of worship.