The Lord Vishnu-focused Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple is situated inside the East Fort in Thiruvananthapuram, the state capital of Kerala, India. This temple combines Dravidian and Keralan architectural elements. It is thought to be the richest temple in the entire globe.
The eighth century is when the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple first came into existence. It is among India’s 108 revered Divya Desams or Vishnu temples. Lord Vishnu’s holiest dwellings, known as Divya Desams, are referenced in the writings of the Tamil Azhvars, or saints. Lord Vishnu is the main deity of this temple; he is lying on the hooded serpent Anantha.
Renowned Travancore monarch Marthanda Varma carried out extensive repairs to the temple, giving rise to the current Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple. The festivals of Murajapam and Bhadra Deepam were first observed in the temple by Marthanda Varma. The temple still holds Murajapam, which is translated as “continuous chanting of prayers,” once every six years.
The kingdom of Travancore was dedicated to Lord Padmanabha by Marthanda Varma in 1750. As the Servant of Lord Padmanabha, or Padmanabha Dasa, Marthanda Varma pledged that the royal family would rule the State on behalf of the Lord and that he and his descendants would serve the kingdom. Every Travancore King since then has had the title Padmanabha Dasa before their name. Thripadidanam is the name given to the gift of the kingdom of Travancore to Padmanabhaswamy.
The chief deity of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, also called Anantha (one who lies on the Serpent Anantha), is the source of the name of Kerala’s capital city, Thiruvananthapuram. In literal translation, “Thiruvananthapuram” means “the Land of Sree Anantha Padmanabhaswamy.”
According to legend, the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple is situated at one of the seven Parasurama Kshetras. Texts such as the Skanda Purana and Padma Purana, which are Puranic texts, mention the temple. The temple is situated next to Padma Theertham, or “lotus spring,” a sacred tank. Currently, a trust led by the former Travancore royal family manages the shrine.
The Idol
The Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple’s presiding deity’s idol is renowned for its composition, which includes 18,000 salagramams that were removed from the banks of the Gandhaki River in Nepal.
The main idol of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, known as the sanctum sanctorum or garbhagriha, is visible through three separate doors and is situated on a stone slab. The idol is approximately eighteen feet long. The first door allows one to see the head and chest; the second and third doors allow one to see the hands and feet.
Aesthetics and Architecture
The use of stone and bronze in the temple’s architecture is particularly noteworthy. The interior of the temple is embellished with exquisite murals and paintings. Among them are life-size representations of Lord Vishnu in the reclining position, Lord Ganapati, Gaja Lakshmi, and Narasimha Swamy, who is a hybrid of a lion and a man. About eighty feet high, the temple features a dhwaja stamba (flag post) covered in copper sheets that have been plated in gold.
The temple’s Bali Peeda Mandapam and Mukha Mandapam are two more intriguing structural elements. These are halls adorned with exquisite sculptures representing a variety of Hindu gods. The Navagraha Mandapa, another striking structure in this area, has the nine planets, or navagrahas, displayed on its ceiling.
The Corridor
There is a wide corridor that leads from the eastern side into the sanctum sanctorum. It is lined with 365 and a quarter beautifully carved granite-stone pillars. During the annual ten-day festival at the temple, which is held during the Malayalam months of Meenam and Thulam, Kerala’s classical art form, Kathakali, is performed on the ground floor beneath the main entrance on the eastern side. This area is called the Nataka Sala, which means drama hall.
Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple Timings:
Morning hours:
03:30 a.m. to 04:45 a.m. (Nirmalya Darshanam)
06:30 a.m. to 07:00 a.m.
8.30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
10:30 a.m. to 11:10 a.m.
11:45 a.m. to 12:00 Noon
Evening hours:
05:00 p.m. to 06:15 p.m.
06:45 p.m. to 07:20 p.m.
Please be aware that during the festival, the times for temple worship may vary.
Transport facility
The closest train station to the Shri Padmanabhaswamy temple is Thiruvananthapuram Central. It is only 600 meters distant, and it will take you 8 minutes to walk there. The Kochuveli Railway Station, which is 9 km (about 17 minutes) from the temple, is another location from where visitors can board trains. The bus stop closest to the temple is called Vizhinjam Bus Station. It can be reached in thirty minutes by car and is only 16 km away.
What is not permitted in the Temple of Padmanabhaswamy?
The sanctum is exclusively accessible to Hindus. There is a strict dress code: women must wear sarees or dhotis wrapped around salwar/pants, and men must wear dhotis without shirts. Dhotis are available at the ticket counter next to the gate for the nominal price of 60/-. For security, the temple is heavily guarded.
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