Crocodiles are cold-blooded killing machines known for their brutal power and murderous instincts. However, back in Kerala where the mere sight of a crocodile is considered auspicious. Babiya who lives in the temple pond in Ananthapura temple in northern Kerala thrives solely on a vegan diet, and is friendly to all fellow creatures around her.
The only lake temple in Kerala, Ananthapuram temple, is believed to be the principal seat of the Padmanabha Swamy temple in Kerala. For those of you who have not heard about the latter, google ‘the richest temple in the world.’
The estimated treasure in the Padmanabha Swamy temple stands at a whopping 22 billion dollars! And guess what, there are secret vaults in the temples yet unopened and who knows what world of wonders it holds in itself.
There is a legend about the connection between the two temples:
Mythology says, Villvamangalam Swami, a famous priest, was offering poojas in Ananthapuram temple. Lord Maha Vishnu, the God of life, had taken the form of a young boy to help the priest with his poojas(rituals). While the boy pulled a prank, the priest was irked and he pushed the youngster aside. Upset by the priest’s chiding, the boy left the temple through a tunnel. As he left, the boy said that if he wanted to meet him, he would have to come to Ananthan Kadu — the place where Padmanabha Swamy temple is located now.
The tunnel through which the boy supposedly disappeared is still kept intact but is inaccessible to the public.
Nobody knows for sure from where Babiya came, but there are many myths around her presence. Devotees believe that Babiya is a guard sent by Lord Vishnu to protect the temple.
The popular legend goes like this: Before India gained Independence, a British officer killed a crocodile here in 1945. The name of that unfortunate crocodile was Babiya as well. As if cursed for his heinous act, the officer soon lost his life to a snake bite. A few days later, much to everyone’s surprise, another crocodile appeared in the pond. People carried forward the tradition of calling her ‘Babiya,’ and she has been there for the last 75 plus years.
For the uninitiated, it is typical for south Indian temples to have ponds inside their premises. The waterbody helps keep the environment pleasant and lively while serving the ancient belief that deities use the ponds for bathing.
Usually, such ponds are a serene picture of lotus and lilies with a vibrant population of fish. However, the lake in Ananthapuram temple is different. It is home to a 75-year-old (approximately) crocodile- Babiya.
Fishes are among the favourite food items of crocodiles. But Babiya is not known to have treated her taste buds with the fishes in her natural habitat. The temple’s priest offers her a ball of rice and jaggery, sometimes mixed with slices of banana, and the wild beast accepts them gleefully. No scowl for feeding her the ‘wrong’ diet. No qualms about the lack of protein! Just a wholehearted acceptance of the humble servings of the temple.
The rapport between the priest and reptile is so unique that she would let him place the rice ball directly into her mouth. The priest sometimes takes a dip in the same pond, exemplifying how much he trusts Babiya and her calm demeanour.
Recently, Babiya made news when she came out of the pond and made a sojourn inside the temple premise. According to reports, the priest requested the giant to return to her original habitat, and she soon obliged. Pictures of Babiya, crawling near the priest, were widely circulated on social media. If not for the Covid restrictions, there would have been a sudden surge of visitors to this place now.
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