Centuries ago the northern end of Raja street consisted of grazing grounds and agricultural land which was used by the devout farmers who lived in this region. The cowherd boys made a tiny temple for Lord Gopala and began to offer their prayers with lots of love. The ever friendly Lord Gopal the cowherd accepted the simple prayers and offerings of the cowherd boys with great joy.
Coimbatore was then ruled by the Wodeyar rulers of Mysore and on one occasion, the childless Maharaja Krishnaraja Wodeyar visited the lovely town with his Queen. Lord Gopal showered his grace on the ruler by appearing in his dream in the form of a "Jyothi" and commandeered him to construct a temple for him in the same place that was created by the cowherds in order to propitiate him. The Lord assured the ruler that he would be blessed with progeny on the completion of the divine command. On waking up , the overjoyed ruler ordered his Commander Shankarayyan to build a temple for Lord Gopal in the spot designated in the dream immediately. Eventually Maharaja Krishnaraja Wodeyar was blessed with a child. The management and the rituals at this Arulmigu Venugopala Krishnaswamy temple was vested with the descendants of Vedavyasa Bhattar, the son of Koorath Alwar who happened to be an important disciple of Ramanujacharya. The ruled thereafter endowed Agrahara Samakkulam for the upkeep of the temple. The temple is located on the junction of Raja street and Sullivan street on an area of 1.5 acres.
The temple for Lord Gopal has been extremely popular with the people of this region and this is the only shrine to be endowed with a 40 feet by 40 feet Theppakulam or temple tank within the premises itself in the Coimbatore region. Two shrines for Lord Ganesha are located on the either sides of the three tiered Raja Gopuram. An Aswatha or Peepul tree stands right next to the icon of Lord Ganesha who is located on the right side of the Raja Gopuram. The stone Kodi Maram has a lovely image of Lord Hanuman sculpted on it and the shrine of the Periya Thiruvadi or Garudalwar is located right in front of the same. The deity at the sanctum Lord Venugopala blesses all his devotees in the company of his consorts, Rukmini and Satyabhama. The four armed Lord Venugopala holds the divine discus Sudarshana in between his fingers on his upper right arm while also carrying the divine conch Panchajanyam in between his fingers in the upper left arm. He lower arms hold the lovely musical flute and his standing cross legged posture in the company of the sacred cow appears captivating.
The Utsavar, Lord Vasudeva and his consorts Sridevi and Bhoomadevi are ever ready to come to succour of the devotees from the Ardha Mandapam and the divine gate keepers Jaya and Vijaya seem to ever watchful. It is right next to the gatekeepers, the devotees can pay their respects to Maharaja Krishnaraja Wodeyar and his Queen who had been blessed by Lord Venugopala. The Mahamandapam is home to the ancient stone icons of Nammalwar, Ramanujacharya and Manavalamamunivar. The outer mandapam is home to a shrine for the poetess divine Goddess Andal or Kodhai and the shrine of Lord Rama in the company of both Goddess Sita and Lakshmana is located right next to it. This is the only place in town where one can get to see an icon of Saint composer Thyagaraja singing right in front of his Lord. There are a couple cows within the compound itself.
The shrine of Lord Raghuveera Anjali Pradhana Anjaneyar is located right in front of the shrine of Lord Rama and he appears with folded hands as a mark of permanent devotion to his Lord. The outer circumambulatory path is huge and has a nice shrine for Lord Sudarshana with Lord Prayoga Narasimha at the rear. A finely sculpted relief of Lord Ranganatha on the outer wall of the sanctum offers benediction to the devotees visiting him. A nice Thulasi brindavan and the 'Thirumadaipalli' are located in the premises along with the quarters for the temple priest, the knowledgeable and devout Srivaikuntam Periyanambi K.Vijayaraghachariar. The Paramapadavaasal is located next to the lovely painting of Lord Rama and family along with Hanuman gracing the residence of Saint composer Thyagara by The famous artist C.N.Gopalakrishnan.
The temple calendar is packed with a number of rituals and festivities. The Navarathri, Sri Rama Navami, Marghazi Madha thirupalliyezhuchi, Hanuman Jayanthi, Thiruadhyayana Uthsavam ie., the Rapathu and Pagalpathu along with the Vaikunta Ekadasi. The Sri Jayanthi Uthsavam happens for 10 days and the priests conduct the Thiruadi Pooram for Goddess Andal, Sudarshana Jayanthi, Udayavar Thirunakshathram, Nammalwar Thirunakshathram, Garudalwar Thiruaadi Swathy, Purattsai Sani poojas, Manavalamamunigal Thirunakshathram, Karthikai Deepam and Kaisika Ekadasi are conducted in this ancient temple as per the Pancharathra Agamam which provides the guidance for the conduct of the above.
The temple has a history of benedictions due to the divine grace of the deities. Childless couples are blessed with progeny once they fast on 12 Thiruvonams while also offering the 'Paal Payasam' made at the temple Thirumadaipalli and also organising a Vishnu Sahasranama Archanai to the Lord Venugopala at the sanctum. If one offers a Muhurtha Thengai (coconut) and promises that a Thirukalyana Uthsavam will be conducted in due course is blessed with 'Thirumangalya Bhagyam'. The Lord Raghuveera Anjali Pradhana Anjaneyar is very powerful here and he fulfils the wishes of the devotees who offer a 108 pradakshinam while reciting the name of Lord Rama on any day. A number of devotees do so and also offer a 'Vadaimalai' to the Lord.
Devotees conduct the Annapraasnam of their kids here and adoptions take place within this premises with devotees offering a thulabaram too. People who are unable to visit Lord Krishna at Guruvayoor offer their prayers in this sacred temple. A Navakalasa Snapana Thirumanjanam and a Purushasuktha Srisuktha homam is conducted once in three months at the time of the Vishnupathy punyakalam. Nowadays the temple is part of the Nithya Annadana kattalai and 50 people are fed lunch everyday within the premises itself.
Lord Venugopala Krishnaswamy continues to bless the devotees of Coimbatore with good heath, wealth, long life, peace of mind and noble progeny.