The Road Less Travelled

Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Pazhavangadi Ganapathy temple and Attukal Bhagavathy Temple are located in the district of Trivandrum in Kerala , India.

Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple:

The numero uno among the trio, Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, needs no introduction now. The temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu, tumulted into limelight with the discovery of ancient treasure worth billions of dollars, hidden in the temple vaults, making the temple one of the richest in the world! The tremendous treasure has given rise to many questions, discussions and suggestions. My intention however, is not to discuss the treasure; but to take you on a tour of the famed temple.

Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple is located in the East Fort, right in the heart of Trivandrum city. More aptly said, Trivandrum city grew and spread in length and breadth around this ancient temple. The temple is one among the 108 Divya Desams (Holy abodes of Lord Vishnu) and is run by a Trust headed by the royal family of Travancore.

A huge Gopuram (Temple tower), probably a 100 foot high, welcomes you from the East Fort gate. To its side lies the jade like 'Padma Theertham', the Temple tank.

Let us pay the parking fee and park our vehicle right here. Follow me as we enter the abode of Lord Sree Padmanabha. :)

On a palatial building bordering the parking area, you can see a giant antique clock. The clock announces every hour in a quaint manner. Two large goat figures hit each other at the strike of every hour. A demon face with its tongue dangling out, is positioned just below the striking goats, as if to drink the blood that might drip down. The fact that the clock is functional till date, is a salute to the expert hands behind its making. This wonder clock of yesteryear is installed in the 'Kuthira Maalika' , a palace owned by the Travancore royal family and is open to visitors on specific timings. The palace is a must see. Many films and television serials have been shot here. It is a gorgeous specimen of Kerala architectural style. The mirror like finish of the flooring sans concrete is a wonder to look at and u just can't have enough of the enigmatic wooden carvings. However, it is a stark contrast to the lavish marble palaces of the Moguls and Rajputs found in other parts of India. Probably, a pointer to the simple and Eco friendly lives led by the Travancore rulers. The palace museum houses a huge collection of royal assets like Belgium mirrors, Thrones , Ivory artifacts, Paintings etc. You can as well see the 'Mandapam' (a raised platform) where Raja Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma sat while composing his famed keerthanas. There is a direct view of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple from this 'Mandapam'.

Now let us enter the temple complex. Wait! Ensure that your attire falls within the defined (very strict) dress code, one of the toughest in Kerala to adhere to.

Dress Code for Men : Dhotis only. Shirts/ Pants/ Shorts etc are not allowed. The upper portion of the body should not be covered.

Dress Code for Women : Saree, Skirt & Blouse. Salwar Kameez, Churidar etc are allowed ONLY if you drape a dhoti around.

Bags/ Camera/ Mobile Phone/ Unworn Clothes etc are not allowed inside.

There is a cloak room near the Gopuram, which provides Dhotis for rent and there are many shops nearby, which sell new ones. You can leave your valuables here as well, for a fee.

After stripping all our worldly possessions, let us step inside the colossal Gopuram. The temple staff near the entrance will scrutinize your appearance with respect to attire, and items you want to carry inside. The hallmark of Travancore royal family, humbleness, is rarely displayed during this process. You can see many of them waiting with 'Thalis' (plates) of pooja items that will be offered to you as though it is free. Take it only if you are ready to pay for it. However purchasing it will guarantee that you get into a different queue, which will take you a bit more closer to the deity in the main sanctum sanctorum. As we move ahead, again there are a couple of temple staff offering 'Neyyvilakku' (Ghee lamp). Again this is a paid offering. You can buy it (if you want to) and pour the ghee into the huge burning 'Thookku Vilakku' (Hanging lamp) which is hung from the granite roof.

To your left is a raised granite platform and a staircase leading up. There will be an authorized person somewhere around who will give you a paid ticket to climb up the stairway. Attempt this, only if you are moderately fit (in the least). The staircase leads up the main Gopuram (Temple tower) which is 7 floors high. In each floor, there is a 'Kili Vaathil' (a small door) through which you can get a bird's eye view of the city beyond. In one of the floors there is an exact replica of the idol of Lord Sree Padmanabha, the original being housed inside the main sanctum sanctorum. From the top floor, you can enjoy the panoramic view of the entire Trivandrum city.

Now that we have stretched our calf muscles to the limit, let us climb down and enter the main temple building. What strikes you foremost is the long walkway with numerous pillars (300 plus) decorated with intricate carvings of different demon forms like lions and dragons. If you examine carefully, you can see that each demon is quite different from another. Craftsmanship unparalleled !

We are about to enter the main sanctum sanctorum. What you see on the left is the 'Nataka Sala' (a raised platform) where temple art forms used to be performed. Unlike other Kerala temples, the architecture here has a strong Tamil (Tamil Nadu is the neighboring state of Kerala) influence. Hence you see more of stone and granite and less of wood. The 7 pillars which give out 'Saptha Swarangal' (the seven basic notes of music) when tapped, is a cause of wonder, even today. Again, the entry is through a paid ticket.

As we step down, the huge 'Bali Kallu' (a large holy stone) looms into view. On either side, there are huge 10 foot granite statues of Lord Hanuman and Garuda. The idol of Hanuman will be covered with 'Venna' (butter), which is an offering to the deity. You can also see 'Vada Mala', a necklace made of 'Vada' (a doughnut shaped South Indian snack) adorning the idol.

Let us move ahead with the crowd. Marvel at the intricate stone carvings on the way. The belief is that the main deity Sree Padmanabhaswamy is Lord Vishnu himself, in a reclining posture on the serpent Anantha, afloat in 'Paalazhi' (Ocean of milk). The main idol is around 18 feet in length and is a quite a miracle, made out of 12,000 saligramams brought from the banks of the Gandaki River in Nepal. There are 3 separate windows through which you can see the Lord. Through the first window, you can see the serene face of the Lord in 'Yoga Nidra' and his outstretched hand. The second window offers a view of the midriff of the torso and the third, the feet of the idol. There are smaller idols of other gods and goddesses as well, that are visible through the windows. This is where the 'Thali' you have bought (or not bought) from the Gopuram makes a difference. You can enter a separate queue nearer to the windows, which guarantees a better darshan, if you have bought those thalis.

As we step down carefully from the raised platform, we can see idols of Lord Sri Ram, Lakshman and Sita. Collect sandal wood paste which is offered as 'Prasad' and we are out of the main sanctum sanctorium. The temple staff will be selling 'Appam' and 'Paayasam' (both edible prasad, sweet in taste) near the exit door. The 'Appam' might be hard on your teeth, but it is the Lord's prasad and is quite tasty.

An ocean of pearl white sand awaits you outside. You can see small children from the neighborhood playing with it and Mamis (Tamil brahmin ladies) squatting down on it, the same way as on a beach. A walk around the temple with a cool breeze blowing and the ivory white sand in the backdrop, all in the vicinity of the Lord, is probably the best walk you can get in the city of Trivandrum !

There are smaller dieties of Lord Ganesha, Lord Ayyappa, Kshetrapala etc along the walk way. There is a separate sanctum sanctorum for Lord Krishna. As always, you can see maximum crowd here. Bhajans will be held in the 'Koothambalam' (a raised platform) facing the Lord. The idol of Krishna after the morning pooja, all clad in sandal wood paste and adorning gold and stone ornaments will steal your heart away.

Take as many 'Pradakshinam' (a walk around the temple through the walk way) as you wish and then follow me outside. Near the exit, you can see paraphenilea of photos, idols, CDs etc for sale. Buy them as a memoir if you feel like it.

There is our cloak room. Let us return our rented items and adorn our wordly possessions once again. One quick look back at the majestic gopuram and there you are ... All set to visit the famed Pazhavangadi Ganapathy temple, the second one among the temple trio of Trivandrum.

Hope you enjoyed the tour !