The thoni or boat carrying goods for festival feast to Aranmula temple is called Thiruvonachilavu thoni. Once, the legend goes, the chieftain of Ayiroor, a nearby village, planned to intercept the traditional boat carrying the materials to Aranmula. The news spread like wild fire and men from twenty-eight Karas decided to thwart the attempt. Fully armed, they escorted the sacred boat in their own chundans or snake-boats to the temple, thus frustrating the chieftain’s plan. In celebration of this event, a snake boat race is held every year. Snake-boats from thirty Karas from Chennithala in the west to Ranni in the east participate in the Vallomkali. They assemble at the temple ghat from early morning and sail ahead in pairs. The course is about two hours long.

Tirtha and Prasada are offered to the deity and then taken back and distributed. In this manner the spiritual energy of the deity is transferred to the devotee.

The great people are themselves Teertha, especially since they themselves have visited several Teerthas. That is why we touch their feet. They are called Jangama Teerthas

The Brahmasthana is the centre of the temple where a finite representation of divinity

The India Pride project was started as a legal effort to bring back the antiquities. It engaged in legal battles and in dialogues to identify and bring back antiquities to India

The Lakshmi Devi temple at Doddagaddavalli is an example of a Chatuskuta temple.

The people who lived across the river Indus (Sindu) were called Hindus by invaders. This is the origin of the word Hindu.

The Draupadi Ratha in Mahabalipuram has a simple sloping roof which probably resembles straw huts of those times.

The part of the temple structure that houses the Garba Graha or where the Vigraha is housed is called Vimaana.

Vapi is a well within the Prakara and it used for the deity for Abhisheka and other cleaning purposes. The pushkarani is not used for the deity

Malika is the columned corridor inside the Prakara and goes around the temple. Pilgrims could rest and sleep there. Patashalas could also be held there. Prasadam could be distributed there.

Saptanagaris are seven sacred cities that give Moksha to those who visit them. These are Ayodhya, Kashi, Mathura, Ujjain, Haridwar, Kanchi and Dwarka

Ancient devalayas were called Dharushilpa. They were not durable and perished. Stone pillars are durable.

Bhitti is likened to water since it takes several forms and is fluid in nature just like water takes the form of its container.

The deity is the external manifestation of oneself. Sannidikarana refers to establishing a connect with the divinity