Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple located in Thiruvananthapuram City of Kerala State in one of the most famous and important temple in Kerala and South India. It is bult in typical dravidian architectural style. The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and is one of the 108 Divya Desams. Only Hindu religion people are allowed to enter the temple. It is one of the most famous temples of not only Kerala but also of whole country. It is also one of the richest temples of the world.
History
In 3rd January 1750, Maharajah Marthanda Varma dedicated the kingdom of Travancore to Lord Padmanabha.By giving the Kingdom to Lord Padmanabha, the whole Travancore state became the property of Sree Padmanabhaswamy, and hence to call Kerala as God’s Own Country or Sree Padmanabhaswamy’s Own Country. After the death of Marthanda Varma in 1758, all the succeeded Kings of Travancore took great care in continuing the daily poojas and ceremonies of Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple and also rule the kingdom as Padmanabha Dasa. It is recorded that 4000 sculptors, 6000 laborers and 100 elephants worked for a period of 6 months to finish the construction of the sreebalippura .Eventually The Royal family of Travancore currently owned and managed the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple.The foundation of the present gopuram was in the Year 1566.In June 2011, the Supreme Court ordered a review of the temple’s underground basement, as it was founded that the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple could be one of the richest temples in India. On July 2nd 2011 gold, jewels and gold coins worth approximately Rs. 500 billion were discovered in the secret chambers in the basement of the temple. After that it was considered that the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple is the richest temple among in India after the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, The Golden Temple in Punjab and the Shirdi Sai Baba Shrine in Maharashtra.The re- construction of the Temple was started only in 1724 after fully destroyed temple in a major fire accident.
Festival and Architecture:
Dravidian style is the Architecture style of the temple with unique attraction .Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple are decorated with lots of beautiful paintings and murals over the inner walls of the the sanctum sanctorum temple.The paintings include Goddess Astha Lakshmi, life size pictures of Lord Vishnu, Anananthasayanam, Narasimha Swamy, Ganapathi, Gaja Lakshmi, and Aswarooda Lakshmi Devi. The interior design of the Katusarkara Idol of Sree Padmanabha Swamy is made up of twelve thousand and eight (12008) Salagramas collected from the bed of the river Gandaki in Nepal.
The structure of the temple built with a single slab of granite which is two and a half feet thick and twenty feet square.The temple gopuram is about 35 meters height,On the top there are 7 golden domes.The Temple has a large number of sacred water resources situated even in places far away from the Temple.
There are 11 mandapams in the Temple and 8 in the Padmatheertham pond.The ground floor under the gopuram is known as the ‘Nataka Sala’ where the famous temple art Kathakali was situated.
Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple Festivals
Murajapam and Bhadra Deepam festival are celebrated in the temple that was introduced by Marthanda Varma. Murajapam Festival which means continuous chanting of prayers, Murajapam is still performed and celebrated in the temple at ones in the six year.The Alpasi Utsavam ten days festival was held in the month of october-november in the Temple. Vinayaka Chathurthi are celebrated and deeparadhana are conducted for the Ganesh idol in the Sree Rama Shrine.Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple celebrates bi-annual festivals in the months of Thulam (Alppasi) and Meenam(Painkuni).the festival is held ten days duration with Special Sreebalies conducted twice a day, in the evening at4.30 pm and at night 8.30pm.Mandalachirappu falls on the the 41st day celebration for the Sastha begins on the first of Vrischikam.Swargavathil Ekadasi is auspicious day for the devotees of Maha Vishnu. Special poojas, offerings and night Siveli take place on this day.Kalabham festival is conducted for seven days from the last six days of Dhanu and Midhunam.Vishu, Sree Rama Navami festival is aslo celebrated with lots of happpiness.Sree VedaVyasa Jayanthi is also celebrated on the full moon day of Karkkitakam in honour of the great sage Vyasa who resides in his separate shrine.
Darshan timing :At morning:03.30 am to 12.00 Noon, At Evening:05.00 pm to 07.20 pmThe Temple opens early in the noon at 2 pm- 2.30pm abhishekam of milk is performed to Sree Krishna at the time of Ashtami Rohini.During the festival occasions the darshan time is reduced in order to performing the special poojas.
How to Reach :
By Bus Station: Thiruvananthapuram City Bus Station is the nearest bus station just a few kilometer walking distance from the temple. Trivandrum Central Bus Station at East Fort is located opposite to the railway station.
By Flight/ Airport: Trivandrum International Airport is the nearest airport to reach Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple. The airport is located 7 km away from the temple.
By Railway Station: Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway Station is the nearest railway station just 1 km away from Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple.Himsagar Express (Kanyakumari – Kashmir), Rajdhani Express, Howrah Express, Sabari Express (Trivandrum & Hyderabad), and Guruvayur Express (Chennai & Guruvayoor) all these are the major trains passing through Trivandrum Railway Station.It is nearest as well as major railway station that managed by Southern Railways.
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