A few years ago, this place was a dilapidated ancestral home surrounded by Kavus and ponds, devoid of any prosperity and without any worship, rituals or the temple complex seen in the present day. This place was also the home to all the family members of Pulikkal Shankarodath Kovilakam.
The Golden Serpent Incident
Valyambaratti Lakshmikutty Nambishtathiri (Ambika Thampurati), known as Thangamaniamma Thampati and fondly called "Muthassi amma" (grandmother), attained heavenly abode in 2019 (1195 Malayalam calendar), merging in the lotus feet of Veeraporkkali. She suffered the death of her mother at a very young age and was under the care of her Mathamahi (grandmother), when curiosity caused her to kill a golden snake that was crawling in the southern courtyard of the house.
The family, already living in misery, slipped into greater misery. Valyambaratti, who was a small girl, was afflicted with Vitiligo (Chithradharan). In those times there were lot of obstacles to a woman's marriage, and remedial atonements were performed for the marriage (Podamuri) of Valyambaratti.
The Path to Restoration
Valyambaratti, who continued to experience misery due to the malefic effects of Sarpa Dosha and Parambarya doshas, followed the instructions and advice from her gurus and knowledgeable astrologers. She resumed the Upasana and Thevaram of the ancestors, performed sankalpa form of worship for the Paradevathas and Gramadevathas, and took care of the serpent deities in the residence by offering prayers to the best of her knowledge.
With the efforts of the family patriarch, who was a soldier in the Second World War, the Kovilakam became habitable and its inmates began to live happily.
The Divine Revelation
However, the misery of the family continued as all the male children met with unnatural deaths one after another. After that, with the efforts of knowledgeable astrologers, the history of the place and presence of Lord Nagamuthassan in the cellar (Nilavara) came to light.
After knowing this, Valyambaratti devised a ritual for worship of Lord Nagamuthassan and continued to follow it with the blessings of Mannarashala Valyamma. Valyambaratti strived to bring her children to traditional worship but failed. However, the only son of Mallikakshi Nambishtathiri alias Mallika Varma, the second daughter among the remaining children, commenced worship of Lord Nagamuthassan and started doing the Kavu Upasana practiced by Thampurati.
The Swayambhu Manifestation
Despite many persuasions to repel serpent worship due to fear, Unni indulged in intense worship at the burrow (Putt) under the tamarind tree in the southern courtyard. At the turn of the year, the burrow collapsed due to heavy rains and a self-manifested (Swayambhu) stone became visible.
The present day Vishwanagayakshi Temple stands on the foundation of this Swayambhu, which is also the Chaitanyavakta (divine energy) of the temple.
The name Pulikkal was added as prefix to the temple name as the origination of the temple was under the tamarind tree (Puli in Malayalam).