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Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple, Thiruvananthapuram, the richest Temple/Religious Centre in the World.

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#1 · (Edited)


Legend And History

The origin histories of the Temple of Sree Padmanabhaswamy, known to the most of the rest of India as “Ananthasayanam”, are lost in antiquity. It is not possible to determine with any exactitude, from any reliable historical documents or other sources that when and by whom the original idol of Sree Padmanabhaswamy was set up at this location. Some well known scholars, writers and historians, like the Late Dr. L.A.Ravi Varma of Travancore, have expressed the view that this Temple was established on the first day of Kali Yuga (which is over 5000 years ago). The story of the Temple are handed down through the centuries in the form of legends. One such legend which finds a place in the old palm leaf records of the Temple, as also in the famous grantha entitled “Ananthasayana Mahatmya”, mentions that it was set up by a Tulu Brahmin hermit named Divakaramuni on the 950th day of Kali Yuga.

The story as narrated in the Ananthasayana Mahatmya goes as follows.

Divakara muni wasa great Vishnu Bhaktha ans was at that time doing penance and in deep tapas in ‘Aatharta’ Desa. One day Maha Vishnu appeared before the sage in the form of a lively and beautiful 2-year old boy without revealing his real identity. The sanyasi wasvery much taken up with the charms of the child and because of the affection he involuntarily felt for him, he prevailed upon the god-child to stay with him. The child made one condition that the sanyasi should treat him with respect at all times and at any time he fails he fails to do so he (the child) would go away that very moment. This was accepted and so the child stays with him. The hermit gave him a great deal of loving care and tolerated the childish pranks of the little boy. One day, when the sanyasi was in deep meditation at his prayers, the chills took the ‘salagram’ which the sanyasi was using for worship and put it into his mouth and made such a nuisance of himself that Divakara Mini was greatly angered and could tolerate it no further. He thereupon chastised the child. In accordance with the earlier agreement, immediately the child ran away and disappeared from the spot. While going he said, “If you wish to see me again, you will find me again in Ananthankaadu”. It was only then that Divakara Muni realized who his erstwhile child guest had been. The hermit was stricken with inconsolable grief and for many days followed what, he believed was the route taken by the child foregoing food, rest and sleep in the process. Finally he reached a wooded area near the sea coast and then caught a glimpse of the Child disappearing into a huge ‘Ilappa’ tree standing nearby. Immediately that tree fell into the ground and it assumed that shape of recumbent Sree Maha Vishnu. That divine form had its head at ‘Thiruvallam’ (a place about 3 miles distant from the Fort, at where the Temple of Sree Padmanabhaswamy situates) and its feet at ‘Trippapur’ (5 miles away in the opposite direction). Overawed by the majesty and the size of the divine form, which thus manifested itself before him, the sanyasi prayed that the Lord condense himself in size so that it would become possible for him to contain the divine presentation within his limited field of vision. Thereupon the image of Bhagwan Vishnu shrank to a size, three times of the length of the sanyasy’s ‘Yoga dand’. Immensely gratified that his prayers had been granted, he made whatever offerings he could and conducted pooja to that wooden image. The lord havind been pleased ordained that from then onwards, poojas to Him at that place should be conducted by Tulu Brahmins from the same part of the country as Divakara Mini himself hailed. To this day half the number of ‘poojaris’ (priests) in this Temple continue to be drawn from the Tulu country.

Another generally accepted version about the origin of the Temple relates it to the famous sanyasi Vilvmangalathu Swamiyar, whose name is linked with the histories of several temples in Southern India. This swamiyar hailed from the Namboothiri Brahmin community and was a very dedicated Vishnu bhaktha. The legend that connects him with this Temple of Sree Padmanabhaswamy is in detail almost identical with the Divakara Muni tale related above. It is said that, when Sree Maha Vishnu presented himself in the “Ananthasayana” rupa (model) before the sage at Ananthankaadu, the latter had nothing worthwhile to offer him. From a mango tree standing nearby he plucked a few unripe fruits and put them into an empty coconut shell lying thereabout and in all humility offered it as ‘nivedyam’ to the Lord. Even today one of the pooja vessels in use in the temple for he offerings of nivedyams to the presiding deity consists of a gold encased half-coconut shell and one of the important items of nivedyam in vogue from time immemorial is unripe whole mangoes pickled in brine. It has also been the practice in the Temple during the past several centuries for the morning ‘pushpanjaly’ pooja is to be conducted by a Namboothiri Brahmin sanyasi (designated pushpanjaly Swamiyar) specially commissioned for this purpose.

These traditional customs coupled with the fact that the Pushpanjaly swamiyar holds a position of importance in the ‘Ettara Yogam’ (a committee which, at one time in the distant past, was the governing body of the Temple but has, over the years, become a ceremonial and advisory panel) lend substance and some measure of credence to the theory that this Temple was founded by Vilvamangalathu Swamiyar. On the other hand the claim of the Divakara Muni story can only be substantiated by the presence, among the accredited poojaris, of a large number of Tulu Brahmins.However, it is noteworthy that at no time did this community have a place in the ‘Ettara Yogam’. Besides being presented on the ‘Yogam’, the Namboothiri Brahmins also have a position of eminence in the rituals and ceremonies of the temple in that the Tantris(Main priests) have always been drawn from this community. It is also believed that the small Sree Krishna swamy temple, located near the
Western Swamiyar Madam (Official residence of one of the two pushpanjaly Swamiyars of the Temple) has been built over the Samadhi of Vilvamangalathu Swamiyar.

Some historians and researchists hold the view that the Thiruvambadi shrine of Sree Krishnaswamy, which is a separate temple located within the main temple walls, is older than the shrine of Sree Padmanabhaswamy. According to legend the shrines consecrated to Sree Narasimhaswamy and Sree Sastha, which are located inside the temple walls, were established at various times after the main shrine of Sree Padmanabhaswamy came into being. There is mention in the ‘Bhagavatha Purana’ (canto 10, chapter 79) that Sree Bala Rama visited “Spanandoorapuram” in the course of his pilgrimage and the belief is that this refers to the shrine of “Ananthasayanam” in “Thiru Ananthapuram”. Similarly in the ‘Brahmanda Purana’ also there is a reference to “Syanandoorapura”. All these lend considerable weight to the wide spread belief that this Temple is of great age and has been held in veneration over the centuries as an important shrine of Sree Maha Vishnu. The compositions of Nammalvar, the great Vaishnavite saint in praise of Sree Maha Vishnu, prove beyond doubt that this Temple existed in the fifth century of this era.Records indicate that from very early days the management of the Temple ws in the hands of a local committee called the ‘Ettara Yogam’ mentioned earlier. Old palm leaf records also show that the foundations for the first properly constructed Temple buildings were laid by the saint and ruler named Cheraman Perumal. He is also credited with having commissioned various persons to attend to the multifarious duties connected with the rituals, ceremonials and general administration of the Temple. Very many years later, about the year 1050A.D., the Temple was reconstructed and the management re-organized by the then ruler.

The next important recorded events relate to the period 1335 A.D. to 1384 A.D. when Travancore (as known then) was ruled by a powerful and wise king named Veera Marthanda Varma. He gradually established his authority completely over the management and administration of the Temple. There are records to indicate that in the year 1375 A.D. the Alpasi Utsavam (alpasi festival, one of the two important half yearly 10 days festivals which take place regularly even these days) was conducted in the Temple. Some of the important events relating to the Temple which took place after the demise of this Ruler until 1729 A.D. are given below.

  • Between 1459 A.D. and 1460 A.D. the idol of Sree Padmanabhaswamy was removed to a ‘Balalaya’ for the purpose of re-construction of the roof of the sanctum sanctorum.
  • About the middle of 1461 A.D. after the reconstruction, the idol was re installed in the old location and an Ottakkal Mandapam (Single granite stone slab abutting from the sanctum sanctorum) was put up.
  • In 1566 A.D. the foundations was laid for the Gopuram (pagoda) over the main eastern entrance.
  • In 1686 A.D. there was a serious fire resulting in the total destruction of the entire temple building, structures and fittings with the exception of the main idol. Work on the re-construction of the Temple wasstarted only in 1724.
  • In 1728 A.D. propitiatory ceremonies, connected with the serious fire of 1686, were conducted.
It was in the year 1729 that the great ruler Marthanda Varma became the king of Travancore. He made plans for reconstructing the Temple and in 1729 put the work under way. In 1730 the idol was again moved to ‘balalaya’ preparatory to the renovation and reconstruction of the sanctum sanctorum. In the end of the next year the work completed. The old wooden idol was replaced with a new one fashioned out of 12000 ‘salagrams’ moulded into shape with a particular kind of mortar made of ‘kadusharkara’. This is the idol which is even today worshipped and seen in the sanctum sanctorum and to which all poojas are offered. The Mandapam in front of the idol was re-built with one single slab of granite which is two and a half feet thick and twenty feet square.
It was during this Ruler’s time that most of what is seen today within the walls of the temple was constructed. It is on record that daily 4000 stone artisans, 6000 labourers and 100 elephants worked for a period of 6 months to finish the construction of the sreebalippura (corridor). This magnificent rectangular corridor built of stone surrounds the main shrines and is meant for providing protection from the weather for the deities when taken out in ritualistic processions. The ‘Gopuram’ for which foundations had been laid in 1566, was built in this period. Similarly the ‘flag-staff’ in front of the main shrine was also erected at this time. The special Teak log was brought from the forest 30 miles away by men and elephants without touching the ground, as laid down in the sastras. The Teak pole was then covered completely with gold sheets. The renovation of the Temple tank, the Padmatheertham, including the stone flagging of the steps and its completion in the form we see it today was also undertaken during this great ruler’s time.

Deities

  • Sree Ananthapadmanabhaswamy
  • Agrashaala Ganapathi
  • Sree Yoga Narasimha Moorthi
  • Thiruvambadi Sreekrishnaswamy
  • Sreesastha (Sree Aathibhootha Nathan)
  • Kshethra Paalan
  • Agrashaala Ganapathi
  • Hanuman
  • Garuda
  • Sreerama with Seetha & Lekshmana
  • Vishwaksenan
  • Sree Veea Vyasar & Ashwathama

Attractions

Ottakkal Mandapam

The Ottakkal mandapam in the Sreepadmanabha swamy temple is a striking feature. The Mandapam is in front of the idol of Sreepadmanabhaswamy. This structure is built with one single slab of granite which is two and a half feet thick and twenty feet square. The abhishekams to Sreepadmanabhaswamy are performed in this mandapam. The pillars in this mandapam are covered with gold sheets.

Abhisheka Mandapam

This structure is in front of the Ottakkal Mandapam. This is the mandapam where the special poojas related with the temple festival and other special occasions are performed and the items for the poojas are get redied. Devotees can also use this mandapam for meditation and prayer.

Kulasekhara Mandapam

It is a marvelous and fantastic architectural work which is only on stone. It is also known as Aayiramkal Mandapam and Sapthaswara Mandapam. It is noted with its pillars which produces musical sounds when tapped. Inside this there are 28 big pillars around the mandapam. Of these on the pillars of the corner sides of the mandapam we can 11 pillars around itself. These small pillars can produce the musical notes and some musical instruments’ sounds when tapped. On the other pillars we can see some statues. On the top side of the walls the Ramayanam story is depicted. Also we can see a bell and chain in the middle of the mandapam which is made on stone. Restricted entry is allowed.

The Golden flag-staff (Dwaja Stambham)

An eighty feet height flag-staff stands in front of the main temple. The special Teak log was brought from the forest 30 miles away by men and elephants without touching the ground, as laid down in the sastras. The Teak pole was then covered completely with gold sheets. On the top of the flag-staff there is a statue of Garuda.

Gopuram

The temple has a seven storeyed gopuram. It situates on the main east entrance of the temple facing the east. It is a fine example of South Indian architecture. It has about 35 meters height. Standing on the top we can see the places around it. On the top of the gopuram we can see 7 domes of gold which is lined and glitter brightly in day light. The 10 incarnations of Lord Vishnu are displayed inside the first storey of the gopuram. Restricted entry is allowed.

The Sreebalippura (Corridor)

The temple has a sreebalippura. This magnificent rectangular corridor built of stone surrounds the main shrines and is meant for providing protection from the weather for the deities when taken out in ritualistic processions. It is a marvelous architecture on stones. It is on record that daily 4000 stone artisans, 6000 labourers and 100 elephants worked for a period of 6 months to finish the construction of the sreebalippura (corridor). Around the sreebaippura we can see 365 and a one quarter pillars with attractive carvings. Each pillars are made on a single stone.

Padma Theertham

The padmatheertham pond is located on the eastern side of the temple. This is the temple tank and is one of the oldest water bodies in the city of Thiruvananthapuram. Restricted entry is allowed for the devotees.

The Dravidian Style

Padmanabhaswamy temple is the only major specimen of the Dravidian style of architecture found in the State of Kerala.

Temple Architecture

Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple is renowned for its sculptural beauty. With the ancient work of art in stone and bronze, the mural paintings and wood carvings, this ancient temple is a fine specimen of the Dravidian style of architecture. Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple stands majestically beside the holy tank, named Padma Theertham (meaning the lotus spring). The tower at the entrance is a seven-storey and about 35 meter (100 foot) in height. Decked with beautiful stone carvings, this tower is constructed in South Indian architecture. There is an eighty-foot flag post (Dhwaja stambha) in front of the temple which is covered with gold plated copper sheets.

Sree Anantha Padmanabhaswamy Temple has some interesting features such as the Bali Peeda Mandapam and Mukha Mandapam. These halls are decorated with beautiful sculptures of various Hindu deities. Another notable part is the Navagraha Mandapa whose ceiling displays the Navagrahas.

Broad Corridor with 365 and 1/4 Sculptured Granite Stone Pillars

Extending from the eastern side into the sanctum sanctorum is a broad corridor which has 365 and one-quarter sculptured granite-stone pillars with beautiful carvings. The remarkable touch of the artisans is felt in a piece of carving which has the figure of an elephant on one side and that of a bull on the other. It is notable that the horns of the bull look like the tusks of the elephant when seen from the other side and the trunk of the elephant seems like the hump for the bull.

There is a ground floor under the gopuram (main entrance in the eastern side) which is known as the 'Nataka Sala'. Here the famous temple art of Kerala, the Kathakali, was staged in the night during the annual ten-day Padmanabhaswamy Temple Festival (Uthsavam), held during the Malayalam months of Meenam and Thulam.

Temple Timings

Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple opens daily at 03:30 AM and closes at 07:20 PM. However, there are specific timings for darshan.

Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple Darshan Timings in Morning


03:30 AM to 04:45 AM
06:30 AM to 07:00 AM
8.30 AM to 10:00 AM
10:30 AM to 11:00 AM
11:45 AM to 12:00 PM

Evening Darshan Timings of Sri Padmanabha Swamy Temple


05:00 PM to 06:15 PM
06:45 PM to 07:20 PM

Please note that the temple worship timings are subject to change during festival occasion.

Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple Dress Code

Only Hindus are permitted inside the temple. And dress codes are to be strictly followed before entering the temple. Men should wear 'Mundu' or 'Dhoti' while visiting the temple. They also have to remove shirt or t-shirt above waist. Women have to wear Sari (Saree), Mundum Neriyathum (set-mundu), Skirt and Blouse, or Half Sari. This means no pants for men or churidhar for women is allowed inside the temple.

Dhotis are available for rent near temple locker room. Nowadays temple authorities allow to wear Dhotis over pants or churidhar for the convenience of devotees. The locker room near the temple main entrance offers Dhotis for rent. Cell Phones, Cameras, or any other Electronic Equipments are not allowed to be used inside the temple.

Pooja Details

Here are the details of Poojas that can be performed by devotees at Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram.

General Archanas

Astothara Archana
Sahasranama Archana
Veeda Manthrarchana
Santhanagopala Archana
Vidhya Rahagopala Archana
Swayamvara Archana
Dhanwanthari Archana
Sudarshana Archana
Lekshminarayana Archana

Sooktam Archanas - Suktham

Purusha Sooktam
Bhoo Sooktha
Purusha Sooktam
Sree Sooktham
Bhaghya Sooktham
Aikyamathya Sooktham
Narayana Sooktham
Samvatha Sooktham

Abhishekams and Offerings

Aval (Sree Krishna Swamy)
Aravana
Panchamritham
Thrimadhuram
Unniyappam (Unni Appam)
Modakam (for Sree Ganapathi)
Paal Payasam
Ghee Payasama
Sharkara Payasam
Pongal
Ottayada
Idichu Pizhinja Payasam
Milk Abhishekam
Nei Vilakku
Vada Mala (Sree Hanuman Swamy)

Offerings

Here rice is offered to the Lord in coconut shell. Paal Payasam (Milk Kheer), Unni Appam and Aval with sugar are the other main offerings to Lord Padmanabhaswamy.
  • Muzhukkappu
  • Valiyalangaram
  • Panchamrutham
  • Ksheerabhishekam
  • Neivilakku
  • Aravana
  • Unniyappam
  • Pongal
  • Ponnum seeveli
  • Thulabharam

The idol of Lord Narasimha is offered with Panakam during Thursdays.

Aval Nivedyam is the main offering to Thiruvambadi Lord Krishna.

How to Reach

Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple can easily be accessed by road being its ideal location near the City Bus Station in East Fort, Thiruvananthapuram. The inter-state highway, National Highway 47 (NH 47) connects Thiruvananthapuram to all major cities and nearby states including Kollam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Nagercoil, Coimbatore, Kanyakumari, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore.

Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway Station is the nearest railway station, just 1 km away from Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple. Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway Station is one of the major railway stations in Kerala, managed by Southern Railways.

Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, around 4 km from the city center, is the nearest airport.
 
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#56 ·

  • Monsoon,Alappuzha Fish Curry,Arundhathi Roy etc...Take a rest to the usual global media reports about Kerala.Now its the turn of Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple,Thiruvananthapuram.
  • To name a few are The Times,Sunday Times,New York Times,Washington Post,Associated Press,Time Magazine,Christian Science Monitor,Huffington Post,Deutsche Welle,Der Spiegel etc
Source : Mathrubhumi
 
#63 ·
Ajith, Good job .

Any way I am glad that I am the one who first reported about Sreepadmanabhaswamy Temple incident in SSC . This was not a headlines in newspaper until July 27th 2011. May be I got a call from Bhagavan to report this:)


This was the first post first post

SC panel begins to open royal treasure
The secret lockers at the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Kerala’s capital are believed to contain an enormous quantity of valuables

A treasure hunt began today in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala, under the orders of the Supreme Court.

There are six underground lockers at the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, considered one of the holiest shrines dedicated to Vishnu in South India (the modern structure dates back to the 16th century and the location, by belief, goes back to Puranic times). The temple was also the treasury-repository of the wealth of the erstwhile royal house of Tranvancore, which ruled in the name of the deity since 1750, when the then king, Marthanda Varma, declared himself and his descendants to be its servants. This position continued till 1947.

The six traditional lockers are believed to contain an enormous quantity of valuables — there is talk of about Rs 1,000 crore worth. Two of these have not been opened for 150 years and the other four have been closed since the 1950s. This has been due to certain legal issues connected to the administration of the temple, of which the head of the erstwhile royal family continues to be the official custodian. There are various matters in the high court.
 
#64 ·
Talk of curses as India mulls another chamber of gold


The 16th-century Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Trivandrum, India.

WAITING in the musty darkness beneath one of India's most secretive Hindu temples this month, a team of experts prepared to prise open the granite door of Chamber A, a vault that had been sealed for a century.

For three days they had been working their way through the hidden chambers of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple in Kerala, southern India, aware of tales that it was guarded by curses and poisonous snakes.

Their torches would catch a flash of a jewel or strip of gold that hinted at the fabulous riches long said to be hidden there.

It took three men straining on iron bars half an hour to prise open the door. As it finally creaked open, firemen wearing masks rushed into the 2.4m by 1.5m vault to pump in oxygen. They emerged shocked and speechless.

A team member could not contain his excitement. "We entered in pairs and shone our torches in the room and it was amazing. There are just no words to explain it," he said.

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"It was full of gold chains the same height as me. There were heavy belts of gold, ornaments and precious stones. Then there were steps leading down into a smaller room where gold coins were scattered all over the floor."

The value of the find has been estimated at $18 billion. Among the treasures hidden beneath the temple in Trivandrum, the capital of Kerala, were 18kg of Napoleonic era gold coins, a tonne of gold trinkets, a 5.5m gold necklace, a sack full of diamonds and jewellery studded with yet more diamonds. One statue, a 30cm-high jewel-encrusted portrayal of the temple deity Lord Vishnu, is estimated to be worth $105 million.

Yet the 500-year-old temple, which only devout Hindus are allowed to enter, may still be hiding an even more splendid hoard. This week India's Supreme Court is expected to approve the opening of the final vault - Chamber B - which has been sealed for more than 150 years.

Judges delayed the final decision on Friday after requesting advice on what to do about a jammed lock that the ancient key will no longer open. Any attempt to force the lock or damage the structure would risk inciting already angry Hindus.

Legend has it the chamber can be entered only in times of crisis. Word of a terrible curse being unleashed on Kerala if the door is opened unnecessarily has swept through the area.

In hushed tones worshippers outside the temple walls described the "bad omen" of the chamber door, which is guarded by a five-headed cobra with gemstones for eyes.

Stories of previous efforts to open the chamber have compounded local superstitions. In 1933, British writer Emily Gilchrist Hatch described one attempt. "When the state needed additional money, it was thought expedient to open these chests and use the wealth they contained," she wrote. "A group of people got together and attempted to enter the vaults with torches. When they found them infested with cobras they fled."

The sound of rushing water in the chambers has given rise to the belief that secret passageways link the vaults to the Arabian Sea, 5km away.

For almost three centuries the maharajahs of Travancore, which included large swaths of southern India, guarded the treasure. Last week Uthradam Thirunal Marthanda Varma, 90, the current maharajah, remained ensconced in his palace, which resembles an English country house with a pagoda roof. His friends said he was "worried about the consequences" now the world knew about the treasure.

Armed guards have now been placed around the temple. But the biggest threat may lie in a debate about the treasure. There are calls for it to be used to boost Kerala's economy or to aid the poor. Hindu groups say treasure should stay in the vaults for ever.

Oommen Chandy, Kerala's Chief Minister, has said the artefacts will be protected by the state at the temple. This means that no non-Hindu will get the chance to see the treasure.

Source : The Australian
 
#71 ·
Kerala temple treasure belongs to deity: Experts

The treasure trove, including gold, silver and diamond ornaments, recovered from the secret vaults of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple belongs to the deity, High Court advocate Dinesh Shenoy has said.

Shenoy was speaking at a discussion on ‘Temple Laws in Kerala’ held in connection with the two-day workshop of lawyers organised by the Abhibhashaka Parishad here.

“The treasure, from whichever source it has come, belongs to the deity of the temple which is a juridical person under the Indian laws,” Dinesh Shenoy said.

“The trustees of the temple alone have the right to take any decision thereon and such decisions should be for the welfare of the devotees,” Shenoy added.
Source
 
#72 ·
Hindu Organisations’ meet on Tuesday

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A joint meeting of various Hindu organisations will be held here on July 12 to discuss the situation following the inventorying of the treasure at Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple. The meeting has been convened by Hindu Aikyavedi general secretary Kummanam Rajasekharan

The meeting has been planned since there is a debate over the utilisation of the treasure trove, Rajasekharan said In a statement here on Sunda

http://expressbuzz.com/cities/thiruvananthapuram/hindu-organisations’-meet-on-tuesday/293006.html
 
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