The myth behind how the place Poonithura got its name and the history of the fort complex situated in this place is explained below.
Myth
The mythology behind the creation of the Lord Sree Poornathrayeesa is most popular. As per the mythology it is referred as Mahabharata as a place, where Arjuna built this temple for Lord Krishna in the chapter of Santhana Gopalam. And for the same Lord Vishnu assigned Arjuna to go to the earth with Lord Ganesha to find out the missing Brahmin Children’s from Vaikundam. After a long period of journey they gathered at a place in dusk.
Then Arjuna took an arrow from his “Pooni” (containment for arrows ) and bowed towards east and gave instructions to Lord Ganesha, that where the arrow lies would be the suitable place for our regular prayers and to chant Vishnu mantras. Lord Ganesha started walking towards the east and he saw that arrow in a place where a lot of Sesame seed was found around the river “Poorna”. And it was believed that in this place where Arjuna opened his Pooni named as “Poonithura” and the place where they selected for praying Lord Maha Vishnu named as “Poorna Veda Puri” (Later named as Tripoonithura) and here the Arjuna constructed a temple for Lord Visnu named as Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple. And also Poonithura can be also defined as Pooni means the "containment for arrows” & Thura means “sea shore".
 |
| Poonithura Kottaram Temple (Previous Sanctum / Sri Moolasthanam of Lord Sree Poornatherysa) |
History
The historical evidence states that the Poonithura Kottaram (Palace) has been built so many centuries beyond. Also we cannot avoid the possibility for this Palace was ruined by any King, Naduvazhikals or Perumakanmara .The Sreekovil (Sanctum), Thedapally (Temple kitchen) the wells and ponds inside the fort are the proof for the existence of an idol work ship too.
But the historians who worked beyond this never came to a single opinion now. The main issue for their debit is the absence of an idol now. Among some of them also believe that it is because of the social evils or some war issues they might dip the idols in the nearby ponds and escape to somewhere else.
However the natives approach the king to have a work ship of Lord Maha Vishnu as Sree Poornathrayeesa, and the king provided concern for bringing the idol from Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple to Poonithura for two days of work ship in every year during the Kumba Masam Para Uthasav. The ceremonies are still continuing without any disturbance.
In the following year the native again raised their needs for a permanent temple with idol before the king in charge His Highness Sri Rama Varma .G.C.I.E. LLD (Maha Raja of Cochin). As a result of their continuous effort, in 1932 a Sree Kovil was built south to the Poonithura Kottaram fort and invoked the deity from Sree Krishna temple in Poothotta and constructed the idol.  |
| His Highness Sri Rama Varma .G.C.I.E. LLD (Maha Raja of Cochin) |
Now this temple is named as Poonithura Kottaram Sree Krishna Temple, and which was under the control of Cochin Devaswom Board and Kshetra Upadeshka Samithi.
Here the Thanthram/ Thanthri is from the Namboothiri family of Puliyanoor Mana-Tripunithura. The Melshanthi and other temple staffs were appointed by Cochin Devaswom Board for a period of 2 years.
Renovated Sanctum of Lord Sree Poornatherysa & Lord Sri Krishna
