The Vighraha or idol of Lord Venkateshwara was installed in the Cochin Temple according to legend originally belonged to the Vijayanagara ruler named Saluva Narasimha Deva Raya who had usurped throne in 1472 A.D. He was a great devotee of Lord Venkateshwara of Tirumala Hills, and frequently visited Tirupati for his worship. But when he was physically incapable of visiting him, he wished to see him daily .One night a vision appeared before the king in his dream and told him that he need not take the trouble of visiting him, and that the lord himself would come to his capital city.The King was further told that a sculpture would call on him for casting an Image, that the King should provide it with all the materials necessary and that the image he would make would be the same of the Lord of Tirumalla Hills.The King was Highly Pleased.

True to the dream, a sculpture appeared before the king and after getting materials required for making the image, went himself into a room and shut himself up.As the sculpture did not come out even after a long time, the king had room broken open. He was amazed to see a resplendent image of the lord of the seven hills! The king guessed that it was none other Lord Viswakarma Himself.Thus the idol came to be known as “Swayamboo” meaning Self Born .

Soon after, King built a temple for the installation of the Idol. Before the Prathista the Lord again appeared before the King in his dream another night and gave him instruction that the prathista should take place when a signal is given by the beating of Dundubhi (Drum). But As fate would have it, just at the time of the signal expected to be heard, few crows flew over the Dundhubhi with twigs and the twigs was accidentally dropped on the Dundhubhi making a sound which was mistaken for the signal given by the lord, and the installation took place, which was found to be inauspicious time, only when the king heard the real drum beat later and realized his mistake.The Disappointed King retired to bed, but he lord came to pacify him in his dream. The Lord Said that he would always remain with him till his death. The Lord Also Added that because of the inauspicious time of his installation, he would leave the city and go to Gosripuram (Later this name became Cochin).

An animation based on the history Lord Venkateswara of Gosripuram