Sree Anantha Padmanabha Swamy Temple - Trivandrum or Thiruvananthapuram

This is one of the most famous Divyadesam found in the State of Kerala. It is found 3/4 miles away from the Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway Station. Lots of bus and train facilities are available. Special trains run from Chennai - Thiruvananthapuram. This place is also named as "Trivandrum". Lots of boarding and lodging facilities are also available.

The Moolavar, Anantha Padmanabhar who is found in Kidantha (Palli Kondulla) kolam is said to be one of the speciality of this sthalam. A Shiva Lingam is found close to the Thirumugham of the Moolavar, which explains to the world that both Hari and Haran are not two different and separate Gods, but they are a Single and should be worshipped as one.

About The Temple:

Sri Anantha Padmanabha Swamy Temple is located inside the East Fort,Thiruvananthapuram.It is the state temple of erstwhile Travancore.The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu,who is depicted reclining on Sri Anantha,the hooded snake from which the city derives its name,“Thiruvananthapuram“.This ancient temple is the most dominating feature of Thiruvananthapuram,Overlooking the Padma Theertham Tank.The temple is a blend of the Kerala and Dravidian styles of architecture.It is known for its mural paintings and stone carvings.Exquisite stone carvings and pavilions are worth admiring one among the 108 sacred Vishnu temples in India,the presiding deity in here is Lord Vishnu reclining on Anantha the Holi Serpent.The idol inside the sanctum santorum is in the form of the Lord reclining on the Holy Serpent Anantha.It is an 18 feet long imposing figure built with Salagrama stones brought from Nepal and it is covered with gold and precious stones.This holy shrine attracts thousands of Hindu devotees.There are innumeraepillars,intricate carvings and Mural paintings.Outside the temple courtyard,there is a medley of shops that sell souvenirs,handicrafts,woodcarvings and handiwork of sandal.One can witness the craftsmen do their work right from carving the wood to polishing.In the October/November months of every year,there is held the Navarathri Festival of musical concerts at the Navarathri Mandapam,adjacent to the main building of the temple.


This holy shrine attracts thousands of Hindu devotees.There are innumerable pillars, intricate carvings and Mural paintings. Outside the temple courtyard,there is a medley of shops that sell souvenirs,handicrafts,woodcarvings and handiwork of sandal.One can witness the craftsmen do their work right from carving the wood to polishing.In the October/November months of every year,there is held the Navarathri Festival of musical concerts at the Navarathri Mandapam,adjacent to the main building of the temple.The temple has an imposing seven tier gopuram covered with beautiful stone carvings.The temple has a broad corridor with 324 sculptured pillars and a 80 feet high golden flag staff.The walls of the temple are covered with interesting mural paintings depicting mythical stories.The Kulasekharamandapam,the main platform inside the temple is beautiful and regal.The entire architectural style followed in this temple is a mixture of Dravidian and Kerala styles.


This temple in its present form is built by Maharaja Marthanda Varma (1729-1758),one of the most powerful rulers of Travancore.The work on the temple was started in 1731.In 1750,the Maharaja dedicated his kingdom to Lord Padmanabha,the presiding deity of the kingdom and assumed the title Padmanabhadasa or the servant of Lord Padmanabha.From that day onwards the rulers of Travancore carry out all their princely and spiritual duties as the servants of the Lord.Padmanabha swamy temple is considered as one among the seven Parasurama shetras in Kerala and one among the 108 sacred temples in India dedicated to Lord Vishnu.The ancient texts of Padma purana and Skanda purana have mentions about this temple.The temple has very special rituals.Two festivals are celebrated every year,one in March-April and the second one in September-October.56 day long Murajapam or uninterrupted recitation of prayers is conducted once in six years and once in twelve years the festival of a million lamps or the Lakshadeepam is conducted.The temple is still given the status of the state templeand for the festivals divisions of the armed and mounted police will accompany the deity for the arattu or the holy bathing.Their band also play the songs written by Maharaja Swathi Thirunal.Swathi Thirunal had a very special relationship with Lord Padmanabha and the temple.His life was an offering to the Lord.All his songs carry the stamp of total dedication to Padmanabha.The most beautiful of his songs are on Lord Vishnu."Vande Sada Padmanabham"Always I worship thee Padmanabha,Thine is the hue of the water-laden clouds,Thy feet are the celestial Mandara blossoms to those who bow to them,Always I worship thee,my Lord” - Swathi Thirunal wrote.

Mythology:

Padmanabha Swamy Temple stands at a place considered as one of the seven Parasurama Kshetras,texts including the Puranas,particularly the Skanda Purana and Padma Purana,have references for this shrine.Tradition states that in this place,the Hindu deity Lord Vishnu gave darshan to Indian sages like Divakarmuni and Vilvamangalam Swami.Another story tells of an pulaya couple seeing Vishnu in the form of a child.The child took morsels of rice from the hands of the couple.Also it is believed that Divakaramuni,when he saw the deity he took the first food item he saw which was an Unripe Mango and a coconut shell as an offering plate and performed primary pooja.In memory of this legend,naivedyam or offering prepared from rice is offered to the deity here in a coconut shell.

Legend:

There are many legends regarding the origin of the temple.One such legend says that the Sage Divakara prayed to Krishna for his darshan.Krishna came in disguise as a small,mischevious boy.The boy swallowed the Saligrama which was kept in Puja.The Sage became enraged at this and chased the boy until the boy hid himself behind a tree.The tree fell down and became Vishnu in Sayana Kolam.when he did so,he was of an extraordinarily large size.The Sage,recognizing that the tree was Vishnu,in despair prayed that he could not pray to Vishnu fully as his form was so large.Immediately,the Vishnu shrunk himself,and told the sage that he should be worshipped through three doors.These doors are now the doors in the temple through which the idol may be viewed.Through the first door,the worship is offered to Shiva,through the second entrance Brahma prays to Vishnu from his lotus navel,and through the third is Vishnu's feet,which are said to lead to salvation.Another legend suggests that the original Murti which was made of the wood of that tree got burned during a fire that engulfed the temple complex,was a sign of the unhappiness of the lord with the king.

History Of Temple:

In olden days Sree Padmanabha Kshetram and its properties were controlled by powerful lords known as Ettuveetil Pillamar under the guidance of Ettara Yogam.Later,Marthanda Varma defeated the Pillamar and his cousins "Kunju thampis" and took over power.The last major renovation of the temple was done by King Marthanda Varma,Maharaja of the erstwhile princely state of Travancore.He dedicated his kingdom to the deity,and pledged that he and his descendants would serve the kingdom as Padmanabha Dasa,meaning "servants of the Lord Padmanabha".With this,Sri Padmanabha became the nominal head of the state of Travancore,assuming the title Perumal,the Emperor.The British Government saluted the Lord with a 21-gun salute,a military tradition of colonial days,which was continued by the Indian Army until the abolition of the privy purses by Government of India with Indira Gandhi as the Prime Minister.The royal insignia of the Lord,The Valampuri Shankhu or dextral conch-shell,served as the State emblem of Travancore and even continued so for some time after the re-organisation of the States.Sri Padmanabha is still regarded as regional deity of Travancore[citation needed.The two annual festivals of the Temple culminate in a grand procession,in which the three deities (Sree Padmanabha,Narasimha Swamy and Krishna) carried on flower-decked and aesthetically decorated Garuda Vahanas to the Shankhumukhom beach,for 'aaraattu' (sacramental ablution).The 'aarattu' days are declared as local public holidays in Tiruvananthapuram.

Gopuram:

The temple has a 100 foot, seven-tier gopuram.The temple stands by the side of a tank,named Padma Theertham (meaning the lotus spring).The temple has a corridor with 365 and one-quarter sculptured granite-stone pillars with elaborate carvings.This corridor extends from the eastern side into the sanctum sanctorum.An eighty-foot flag-staff stands in front of the main entry from the 'prakaram' (corridor).The ground floor under the gopuram (main entrance in the eastern side) is known as the 'Nataka Sala' where the famous temple art,Kathakali was staged in the night during the ten-day uthsavam (festival) conducted twice a year,during the Malayalam months of Meenam and Thulam. [Source]

Important Festivals
• Painguni Uthsavam March-April 10 days Arattu
• Navarathri September/October
• Murajapam Once in six years
• Ganapathi Homam 12 days September/October
• Vinayaka Chathurthi August/September
• Ashtami Rohini August/September

Temple Location:

Located in the heart of Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) half a km from the railway station is the 5000 year old Anantha Padmanabhaswamy Divya Desam, where the gigantic Lord Anantha Padmanabhan is seen in a Bhujanga Sayana Kolam.

Dress Code:
One important thing about this temple (and most others in Kerala) is the dress code. Women are allowed in only in skirts (pavadas) or saris. No pants/Salwar Kameez are allowed. Men are allowed only in Veshti (dhotis). No pants or shirts are allowed. They are extremely strict about this rule, and are not fooled by veshtis over shorts or pants. So, all you guys had to better remember – Strictly only Dhotis!!!

The Temple Timings:

04:15 - 05:15AM
06:45 - 07:30AM
08:30 - 10:30AM
11:30 - 11:45AM
05:15 - 08:30PM

Temple Info on Sree Anantha Padmanabha Swamy Temple:

Sri Anantha Padmanabha Swamy Kshetram.
Trivandrum, Kerala, India.
Contact: 0091-471-2450233, 2466830.

Only Hindus are allowed inside the temple.Inside the temple dress regulations are strictly enforced.

Few words from Guruji Shri Narendra Babu Sharma:
First Visit Sree Anantha Padmanabha Swamy Temple then visit Guruvayoor Krishna Temple.