Considered among the most sacred Hindu Temples in Southern India, Kerala’s Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple holds pride of place in the hearts of Kerlalites and devotees of Lord Vishnu the world over. Tipped to be one of the 108 Holy Abodes of its principle deity, the sacred venue is one of ancient record as it is prominently featured in the centuries old Divya Prabandha as well. Tucked away within the hamlet of Thiruvananthapuram, the historic shrine is now managed by the Travancore royal family denoting its significance as a cultural and religious relic to the present day.
Dating back to a period before the 16th century, the temple is believed to have been a replica of the renowned Sri Adikesavaperumal Temple in Thiruvattar while also serving as the origin of the name of Kerala’s capital Thiruvananthapuram, as it literally translates to the “Sacred Abode of Lord Anantha Padmanabha”.
One of the chief highlights within the temple grounds is of course its main shrine which features the idol of Sri Padmanabha leaning backwards on the Anantha serpent featured here with his five hoods in a contemplative pose. Consorts in the form of the Goddess of Prosperity, Shridevi and Deity of the Earth, Bhudevi flank the central figure whose right hand lies on a Shiva Lingam. A 12,000 Saligramam representation of Brahma reaches out from the nave of Sri Padmanabha, thrusting forth from the petals of a lotus to the foreground.
Two auxiliary shrines are also found inside the complex and are devoted to the worship of Sree Krishna Swami and Sree Yoga Narasimha also dubbed Thiruvambadi and Thekkedom respectively. Must-see points of interest in this quarter include the Guajarati origin Lord Thiruvambadi granite statue while smaller shrines devoted to Vyasa, Hanuman, Ganapati, Sita, Sasta and Kshetrapala, and Lakshmana are also worthy of exploration.
The gopuram at the temple is a magnificent piece of architecture reaching seven tiers and a height of nearly 100 feet. Dating back to 1566 the venue boasts elaborate corridors adorned with more than 365 granite columns featuring exquisite carvings. The main festivals in the temple calendar include the breathtaking Navaratri celebrations as well as the bi-annual Painkuni festival (March/April) and Alpashy festival which takes place towards the end of the year.
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Umanga Kahandawaarachchi is a passionate travel writer who writes under the pen name, Maggie Tulliver. Her field of writing covers a wide array of content and articles related to travel and hospitality industry.
