The Enchanting Sree Krishna Temple in Guruvayoor
Guruvayoor is one of the most famous pilgrim destinations in South India. Located 82 km from Kochi, this temple town is a part of Thrissur district in Kerala. Out of everything else, Guruvayoor is extremely popular for its Sree Krishna Temple, known to be one of the 108 most sacred Vishnu temples in the world. Let’s know more about what makes this temple massively enchanting for its devotees.
The Sree Krishna Temple in Guruvayoor is regarded as Bhooloka-Vaikuntam or an earthly home for Lord Vishnu, thus making it a huge centre of spirituality for Hindus. According to Hindu mythology, Sree Krishna is considered the 8th incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Legend has it that Lord Krishna asked Guru Brihaspati and Vayu Deva to establish this idol somewhere as he left Dwarka. The gurus found this sacred place and wanted to place the idol, however, a Shiva temple also existed alongside. So, the gurus prayed to Lord Shiva to move his temple to another sacred ground so that they could place the idol there. Lord Shiva agreed to their plea and a temple was erected around Vishnu’s idol and it was named Guruvayoor as an homage to its creators.
In contemporary history the temple was under several accusations based on caste discrimination. After several court rulings and pressure from the revolutionaries, the discrimination based on caste and creed was demolished, however, the temple is still known for its rigid laws like granting only Hindu devotees in the main temple complex and various dress codes. Other visitors, can however, still visit the temple complex and enrich themselves with its beauty and deep-rooted history.
The Sree Krishna Temple in Guruvayoor is the 3rd largest temple in India in terms of visitors footfall and sees around 7 million devotees annually. The temple town is well equipped with different options to accommodate its visitors. Since there are devotees from all social strata, one can find hotels and ashrams suiting to their budget. Generally, since a majority of the visitors are on a day’s trip, thus they look for budget options like cheap hotels, ashrams, dharamshalas and even Oyo rooms in Guruvayoor.
Guruvayoor is one of the safest towns in Kerela, however, personal vigil is always advised. Talking of the temple, if you’re in love with ancient Indian architecture and mythology, you’ll have lots to explore. The temple complex is divided into three parts – the outer ring, the inner ring and the sanctum. The outer ring was constructed by King of Kozhikode and is a spectacular example of South Indian architecture. You can spot murals and sculptures showcasing the mythological story. The inner ring is the oldest part of the complex, constructed by the 4th Pandyan King in 52A.D. Again you spot several murals on it, which are the reminiscence of that golden period.
The inner sanctum is supposedly created by Lord Parshuram himself and consists of three layers. Lord Vishnu’s idol is kept in the 3rd layer and adorned by the same jewels and ornaments as seen in a picture. The idol is a four feet standing version of the God and is kept facing east. You can see hundred of lamps lit inside the sanctum, which fills you with immense divine feeling. Apart from the main idol, there are several smaller temples of other Hindu deities like Lord Krishna with Radha, Lord Ganesh, Lord Sree Padmanabha (a sleeping version of Lord Vishnu) and several sculpted pillars on the west side of the complex.
Visitors can present their offerings and pujas in the temple’s complex and can also enjoy Krishnanattam (a form of Kathakali) performances. The temple complex also acts as the commercial centre of the town and you can find several shops along the West and East gates. The majority of them sell puja items but you can also get handloom and handicraft products. The town is strictly vegetarian and there are some really fantastic restaurants, both private and government-run, for enjoying South Indian delicacies.
Reaching Guruvayoor is not an uphill task. Three major airports, the Cochin International Airport at Kochi (87kms), the Calicut International Airport at Kozhikode (approx. 100km) and the Coimbatore Airport (110 kms); are the nearest terminals for air transport. Through rail, there are few local passenger trains running to Guruvayoor station. As the town carries high religious value, visitors from nearby cities make frequent trips during weekends. It’s like taking a Mumbai to Lonavala taxi or cab from Delhi to Agra for a quick getaway.
So if you’re visiting the green state for fun or relaxation, do keep some part of your itinerary for this religious outing.
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eweekendbreaks
eweekendbreaks is a travel plateform where you can read about travel destination, travel tips, travel reviews and many more.