Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple
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| Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple | |||
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| Name: | Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple | ||
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| Primary deity: | Padmanabhaswamy Vishnu | ||
| Architecture: | Kovil | ||
| Location: | Thiruvananthapuram | ||
Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple, (Malayalam: ശ്രീ പത്മനാഭ സ്വാമി ക്ഷേത്രം) is a famous Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu, located inside the East Fort in city of Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. The temple is one of the 108 divya desam[1], the holiest abodes of Lord Vishnu and the main deity, Padmanabhaswamy is a form of Vishnu in Anananthasayanam posture (in eternal sleep of yognidra). This is an ancient temple and the city of Thiruvananthapuram derives its name from the name of the presiding deity enshrined in the temple.
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[edit] Mythology
Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple stands at a place considered as one of the seven Parasurama Kshetras; texts including the Puranas, particularly the Skanda Purana and Padma Purana, have references for this shrine. Tradition states that in this place, the Hindu deity Lord Vishnu gave darshan to Indian sages like Divakarmuni and Vilvamangalam Swami[1]. Another story tells of an Ezhava couple seeing Vishnu in the form of a child. The child took morsels of rice from the hands of the couple. In memory of this legend, naivedyam or offering is prepared from rice is offered to the deity here in a coconut shell.
[edit] History
King Marthanda Varma, Maharaja of the erstwhile princely state of Travancore, did the last major renovation. He dedicated his kingdom to the deity, and pledged that he and his descendants would serve the kingdom as Padmanabha Dasa, meaning "servants of the Lord Padmanabha". With this, Sri Padmanabha became the Nominal Head of the State of Travancore, assuming the title Perumal, the Emperor. The British Government saluted the Lord with 21 Gun Salute, a military tradition of colonial days, which was continued by the Indian Army until the abolition of the privy purses by Govt.of India with Smt.Indira Gandhi as the Prime Minister. The royal insignia of the Lord, The Valampiri Shankhu or Conch-shell with the right twist, served as the State Emblem of Travancore and even continued so for some time after the re-organisation of the States. Sri Padmanabha is still regarded as National Deity of Travancore[citation needed]. The two annual festivals of the Temple culminates with a grand procession, with the three deities (Sree Padmanabha, Narasimha Swamy and Lord Krishna) carried in flower-decked and aesthetically decorated Garuda Vahanas to the Shankhumukhom beach, for'Aaraattu'. The 'aarattu' days are declared as local Public Holidays in Thiruvanathapuram.
[edit] The temple structure
[edit] Gopuram
The temple has a seven-tier gopuram. The temple stands by the side of a tank, named Padma Theertham (meaning the lotus spring). The temple has a corridor with 365 and one-quarter sculptured granite-stone pillars with exquisite and beautiful carvings. This corridor encompasses and leads one from the eastern side into the sanctum sanctorum. An eighty-foot flag-staff is erected in front of the main entry from the 'prakaram' (corridor). The ground floor under the gopuram(main entrance in the eastern side)is known as the 'Nataka Sala' where the famous temple art, Kathakali was staged in the night during the ten-day uthsavams conducted twice in a year, during the Malayalam months of Meenam and Thulam.
[edit] The sanctum
In the sanctum sanctorum, Vishnu is in a reclining position over the Anantha or Adi Sesha , the serpent with his face pointed upwards, he is enjoying the smell emanating from the lotus held in his left hand, his right hand is hanging over Lord Shiva. Sridevi and Bhoodevi, two consorts of Vishnu stand by his side and the Brahma is seen on a lotus, which emanates from the navel of Vishnu. The idol is made up of 10008 salagramams that compose the reclining lord. They are special because they are from Nepal, from the banks of river Gandhaki and they were brought to the temple with all pomp and gaiety on elephant top. On top of them "katusarkara yogam", a special ayurvedic mix, was used to give a plaster.
In order to perform darshan and puja, one has to climb on a stone slab and different parts of the Vishnu’s idol, namely, the face, the navel and the feet, are visible from three different door like openings.
[edit] Festivals
There are many festivals related to this temple. The major festivals are bi-annual. The Alpashy festival which is on October/November and the Painkuni festival which is on March/April, lasts for 10 days each. These festivals culminate with the Aarat (holy bath) procession to the Shankumugham Beach. The word Aarat refers to the purificatory immersion of the deities of the temple in sea. This event takes place in the evening. The King of Travancore escorts the Aarat procession by foot. The deity images of Sree Padmanabhaswamy, Sree Krishna and Sree Narasimha are given a ritual bath in the sea, after the prescribed poojas. After this ceremony, the idols are taken back to the temple as a procession in the light of traditional torches, thus marking the conclusion of the festival.
A major annual festival related to Sree Padmanabha temple is the Navaratri festival. The idols of Saraswathi, Durga, and Murukan is brought to the Kuthira malika palace in front of Sree Padmanabha temple as a procession. This festival lasts for 9 days. The famous Swathi Music Festival is held every year during this festival.
The biggest festival in this temple is Laksha deepam, which means hundred thousand (or one Lakh) lamps. This festival is unique and commences once in 6 years. Prior to this festival, chanting of prayers and recitation of three vedas is done for 56 days. On the festival time, hundred thousand oil lamps are lit in and around the temple premises. The next Laksha deepam is slated on January 2008.
[edit] References
- ^ a b Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple — Aswathi Thirunal Gouri Lakshmi Bayi, ISBN 1-127-36587-8
[edit] External links
| Famous Vishnu temples |  |
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| Tirupathy • Srirangam • Badrinath • Kanchipuram • Guruvayur • Puri • Thiruvananthapuram • Udipi • Srivilliputhur • Thiruvallikeni • |
