Thrissur's Nelluvai temple to Dhanvantari, said to be 5,000 years old, known for Mukkudi prasad

The Sri Dhanvantari temple stands at Nelluvai in Kerala's Thrissur district. Lord Dhanvantari is regarded as the god of health and Ayurveda, and this is among the very old and distinctive temples to him in the country.

The temple is said to be more than 5,000 years old. It is believed that the main idol here was installed by the Ashwini Devas. According to legend, Vasudeva, father of Lord Krishna, worshipped this same idol in the Dwapara Yuga. On this basis, the temple's history is estimated to go back more than 5,000 years.

After the churning of the ocean, Lord Dhanvantari appeared holding a pot of nectar, a conch, a chakra, a mace and a leech. Here he is enshrined as "Adi Dhanvantari" in a west-facing temple. The temple is considered spiritually linked to the world-famous Sri Krishna temple at Guruvayur.

The presiding deity stands facing west. The main temple complex also has shrines to Shiva, Ganapati, Ayyappa, the Varaha idol (Cheruthevar / Mahavishnu) and the serpent deity. These are the sub-shrines here.

There is also a story behind the village's name. Green paddy fields stretch to the west of the temple, and the village took the name "Nelluvai" from them.

The temple's medicinal prasad, called "Mukkudi", is very well known. This special Ayurvedic decoction, or prasad, is prepared every day from a fixed secret recipe under the supervision of Kuttancherry Manu Mooss. Devotees take the prasad for relief from stomach ailments, skin diseases and many chronic illnesses.

Among the festivals, Swargavathil Ekadashi, which falls in the month of Dhanumasam, is the temple's biggest. Dhanvantari Jayanti (Dhanteras) and the Nilamala festival in Thulamasam are also celebrated with great enthusiasm. Many Ayurvedic vaidyas of Kerala come here to recite verses and sing bhajans before starting their work. It is said that this brings them the Lord's blessings.

The temple is about 24 to 25 km from Thrissur railway station and roughly 74 to 76 km from Cochin International Airport. It can thus be reached by both rail and air.