The manifestations of Lord Vishnu are eternal. He either appears as the loving son of Yashoda or as the beloved of Andal. One such manifestation of the Lord is in the Padmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram. The temple is attractive for two purposes. One, being one among the 108 Vaishnavite specials, it has always been the centre of attraction to every passerby, unlike any other sombre Siva temple. Two, it is located in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of
Kerala.
Describing the temple would be incomplete without mentioning a word about Thiruvananthapuram. The very name owes its origin to the deity -- Anantha- Lord Vishnu -- hence Thiruvananthapuram means the abode of Lord Vishnu. The temple extends a warm welcome to the devotees with the Padmatheertha kulam (the temple tank) in front. The temple was built by King Adithya Varma in 1566. King Marthanda Varma built five storeys to this temple and it was King Rama Varma who was responsible for the temple's present day structure. The gopuram of the temple has eloquently carved figures of gods and goddesses. The interiors are filled with terracotta paintings representing a variety of gods and goddesses.
The presiding deity here -- Anantha Padmanabhaswamy -- is a massive idol resting on Adisesha, the serpent. The deity is to be viewed from three entrances, the face from one, the body from another and the legs from the last entrance. The Lord also holds a Siva lingam in His hand. (This perhaps proves the Saivite-Vaishnavite unity.) From the navel of the Lord emerges Brahma seated on a lotus. On the legs of the Lord, is His beloved consort, Lakshmi Devi. The entire darshan of the Lord is thus a process which can be cherished for a lifetime.
The origins of the temple can be traced back to two different versions available. It is believed that Divakara Muni, a sage, was performing severe penance. Pleased by his devotion and in an effort to test the sincerity of His devotee, Lord Vishnu assumed the form of a small boy and appeared before the sage. Delighted by the sight of a lovely boy, the sage caressed the boy and soon began taking great care to fulfil every desire the boy lay before him. The sage and the boy became inseparable companions. However, the boy said that he would remain with the sage only if the latter never abused him, for whatever reason it may be.
The sage having agreed to this condition began living with the boy. It so happened one day that the boy swallowed the saligramam of the sage. The sage lost his temper and started scolding him. The boy said that since the sage had broken his promise, he would go away. The boy said that if the sage wanted to meet him, he should come to
Ananthankadu.
The sage went in search of Ananthankadu for days together. He found the boy at last on the seashore near a tree. As he approached the boy, he disappeared into the tree and the tree immediately fell down. The sage envisioned Mahavishnu in the tree in a colossal size. He appealed to the Lord to reduce His size so that he could worship Him daily. The Lord granted the request and thus was born the present day temple.
Another legend associated with the temple is that once a couple found a beautiful baby amidst the woods. The wife left the child near a tree and after some time, a serpent was sheltering the baby! Delighted by the sight, she informed the ruling king, the King of Travancore. The King ordered a temple to be built in that place. From then on, it is believed that the temple became famous due to the marvellous sight. Apart from Ananthapadmanabha, the other deities in the temple are Srikrishna in the form of Guruvayurappan, Narasimha, Sri Rama with Sita and Lakshmana, Ganapathi, Hanuman, Garuda and Sage Vyasa. The Sudarshana chakra behind Srikrishna is worth admiring. Nava grahams in this temple are located unusually on a mandapam, facing down.
There is a rule in the temple that devotees are not supposed to prostrate in front of the Lord in the mandapam. The reason is that if a devotee does so, the Lord will have to protect him for his entire lifetime. The temple is noted for its discipline and cleanliness. The only restriction with regard to entering the temple is that only Hindus are strictly allowed. Ladies are supposed to wear either saris or something long. Salwars, skirts and jeans are strictly prohibited. However, even if you happen to wear these 'prohibited' clothes, you are provided with a long dhoti sort of cloth to cover your entire body!
An eye-catching piece of art in the temple is that the entire scene in which Ananthapadmanabha swamy is being depicted in the sanctum sanctorum is shown as a mural painting at the back of the same.
Among the various festivals celebrated in the temple, the king of the land also takes part. He walks barefoot for five kilometres on the concluding day of the festivals along with the procession of the deity. There is also a Saraswathi mandapam on the way to the temple. The Navaratri festival is being observed in the strictest sense every year here. During the festival, compositions of Swati Tirunal are sung by musicians. The pattern for the concerts is set by distinguished singers.
The Lord in His idyllic mood, the devotees in their rapt devotion and the tourists with their eyes glued to the miniature attractions of the temple -- all these add to the grandeur of this temple. A visit to this temple is sure to satisfy those in search of aesthetic and divine satisfaction in lives. The splendour of Thiruvananthapuram continues to be glorified by this holy place.
The manifestations of Lord Vishnu are eternal. He either appears as the loving son of Yashoda or as the beloved of Andal. One such manifestation of the Lord is in the Padmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram. The temple is attractive for two purposes. One, being one among the 108 Vaishnavite specials, it has always been the centre of attraction to every passerby, unlike any other sombre Siva temple. Two, it is located in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of
Kerala.
The origins of the temple can be traced back to two different versions available. It is believed that Divakara Muni, a sage, was performing severe penance. Pleased by his devotion and in an effort to test the sincerity of His devotee, Lord Vishnu assumed the form of a small boy and appeared before the sage. Delighted by the sight of a lovely boy, the sage caressed the boy and soon began taking great care to fulfil every desire the boy lay before him. The sage and the boy became inseparable companions. However, the boy said that he would remain with the sage only if the latter never abused him, for whatever reason it may be.
Another legend associated with the temple is that once a couple found a beautiful baby amidst the woods. The wife left the child near a tree and after some time, a serpent was sheltering the baby! Delighted by the sight, she informed the ruling king, the King of Travancore. The King ordered a temple to be built in that place. From then on, it is believed that the temple became famous due to the marvellous sight. Apart from Ananthapadmanabha, the other deities in the temple are Srikrishna in the form of Guruvayurappan, Narasimha, Sri Rama with Sita and Lakshmana, Ganapathi, Hanuman, Garuda and Sage Vyasa. The Sudarshana chakra behind Srikrishna is worth admiring. Nava grahams in this temple are located unusually on a mandapam, facing down.
Among the various festivals celebrated in the temple, the king of the land also takes part. He walks barefoot for five kilometres on the concluding day of the festivals along with the procession of the deity. There is also a Saraswathi mandapam on the way to the temple. The Navaratri festival is being observed in the strictest sense every year here. During the festival, compositions of Swati Tirunal are sung by musicians. The pattern for the concerts is set by distinguished singers.
