Location: Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram), Kerala
Among the thousand names given to Lord Vishnu, one is Sree-Nidhi, meaning “He in whom all wealth resides”. And therefore, it is not surprising when one of his temples becomes the richest Hindu temple in the world. Located inside the East Fort of Trivandrum, the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple is one of the 108 Divya Desams or the Holy Abodes of Lord Vishnu mentioned in the works of the Tamil Saints.
The history of this temple dates back to around 8th Century, though the exact time is almost untraceable. The presiding deity, Sree Padmanabhaswamy or Lord Vishnu, is seen here as reclining on Anantha, the hooded serpent. According to Srimad Bhagawatam, Lord Balarama had visited Thiruvananthapuram as a part of his teerth-yatra and gifted ten thousand cows to the holy men. The capital city of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, derives its name from the name of the God of this temple. Thiruvananthpuram literally means the Holy Abode of Sree Anantha Padamanabhaswamy.
The architecture of the temple is a blend of the Kerala and Dravidian style, embellished with works of stone and bronze. The interiors have some very beautiful paintings and murals of Lord Vishnu. The temple also has a Flag Post, which is covered with gold-plated copper sheets. The treasure that the temple proudly houses includes hundreds of gold jars, chairs, sacks full of gold coins, precious gems, jeweled crowns and an image of Lord Vishnu studded with 1000 diamonds. The temple is currently looked after by the Royal family of Travancore.
Witnessing the bountiful treasures of the temple, people often regard it as the heaven on earth. After its discovery, the royal treasure, which is worth one lakh crore, invoked the interest of the government. But an astrological examination which proved that the intervention will result in death due to the wrath of God, has stopped any further investigation. The royalty and sanctity of Sree Padamanbhaswamy Temple is worth visiting at least once in a lifetime.
Timings
Morning hours:
- 3:30 a.m. to 4:45 a.m.
- 6:30 a.m. to 7:00 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:
- 5 p.m. to 6:15 p.m.
- 6:45 p.m. to 7:20 p.m.
Important Information
- Under the Temple Entry Proclamation, only Hindus are permitted inside the temple.
- Strict dress-code is to be followed while visiting the temple. The men should be dressed in dhoti and should not wear shirts of any kind. The women are supposed to wear a saree or a half-saree.
- Dhotis are rented at the entrance of the temple and can be worn over the pants.
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Related Information :
Places To Visit in Trivandrum
Travel To Trivandrum
Places To Visit in Kerala
