Complete Guide about Padmanabhaswamy Temple
Padmanabhaswamy Temple
About Padmanabhaswamy Temple
Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, one of the 108 Divya Desams, is situated in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala’s capital. The temple, which has a gold-plated exterior, is solely accessible to believers of Hinduism. The Padmanabhaswamy Temple, which is dedicated to Lord Padmanabha, one of the avatars of Lord Vishnu, is one of the main locations for Vaishnava devotion according to Vaishnavism’s dharma.
The Padmanabhaswamy temple is a well-preserved ancient structure that was created as a duplicate of the Adikesavaperumal Temple in Thiruvattar. Devotees say that this temple has been around since the first day of the Kali Yuga, or 5000 years ago, despite the fact that its beginnings are still unknown. The Bhagwad Gita also makes reference to the Padmanabhaswamy Temple. According to the scripture, Balarama, Lord Krishna’s elder brother, frequently visited the temple, took a bath in the Padmatheertham, and offered several offerings to the local deity.
The History
The Holy Child and Divakar Muni
The legend surrounding the Padmanabhaswamy Temple starts with the sage Divakar Muni, a devout follower of Lord Vishnu who also practised intense meditation in his honour. The Muni begged the child to never leave him after noticing it one day and developing a paternal feeling for it. He never wanted to let the infant out of his sight. The youngster consented, but only under the condition that he would always be loved and respected. The child warned that if he didn’t, he would vanish and never come back. The excited sage consented, cared for the youngster, and patiently put up with the toddler’s temper tantrums and mischief.
Breach of a Promise
Once, while Divakar Muni was immersed in meditation, the youngster started handling the salagram improperly—an object the Muni used to worship Lord Vishnu. This incident incensed the sage, who yelled at the child, prompting him to flee from Divakar Muni. Before departing, however, the youngster informed the sage, “If you wish to see me again, you will find me again in Ananthankaadu,” referring to a modern temple in Trivandrum that is located behind the current Padmanabhaswamy temple.
Magnificent Manifestation of Lord Vishnu
The Muni were aware of the child’s unique nature as a result of this experience, and they went off on a quest to locate him. He forwent eating, drinking, and sleeping in favour of following the child’s path. At a distance, he saw the kid blending into a tree. When he got close, this tree collapsed and assumed the heavenly incarnation Shree Maha Vishnu, which was roughly 8 miles long. As Divakar Muni was terrified by this unexpected emergence, he pleaded with Lord Vishnu to return to his previous form so that he might be worshipped. In agreement, Vishnu shortened the Sanyasi Yoga Dand by three times.
Present Belief and Tradition
The sage promptly presented the Lord with a raw mango in a coconut shell, continuing a daily ritual that is still practised in the temple today. More than half of the temple’s priests are from the Tulu region since Lord Vishnu stipulated that any devotion in the form of prayers or worship to him must be carried out by Tulu Brahmins.
The Architecture
The temple’s architecture can be characterised as a mix of the Kerala style and the Dravidian (Kovil) style, which is used in a lot of the adjacent temples. High walls are one of this kind of architecture’s key distinguishing features. A sanctum sanctorum, also known as the garbagriha, is also housed in the temple. The temple’s centrepiece is an 18-foot-long idol.
The building’s walls are decorated with stunning murals and paintings, and the entire structure was built with precision out of stone and bronze. It is reported that 365 and a quarter granite stone pillars along a wide hallway on the eastern side are magnificently carved with elaborate patterns. The Navagraha Mandapa, a ceiling that depicts the nine planets, is another attraction.
Sri Padmanabha is shown in the temple reclining gloriously on the serpent Anantha, which has five hoods that point inward and form an umbrella over the deity’s head, representing meditation. This position on the serpent is referred to as the “Ananatha-Sayanam” or “Yogi-Nindra” pose of endless sleep. The renowned goddesses Sridevi, the Goddess of Prosperity, and Bhudevi, the Goddess of Earth, surround the idol as it rests its right hand over a Shiva Lingam. Lord Brahma appears from the idol’s naval on a lotus.
Temple’s Intresting Vault ‘B’
For the purpose of documentation, the temple vaults are labelled. The vaults A, B, C, D, E, and F are all opened at least eight times a year, with the exception of Vault B. Famous historians, monks, and archaeologists concur that the vault’s enigmatic contents are exceedingly sacred and might be dangerous to reveal.
Once, while Divakar Muni was immersed in meditation, the youngster started handling the salagram improperly—an object the Muni used to worship Lord Vishnu. This incident incensed the sage, who yelled at the child, prompting him to flee from Divakar Muni. Before departing, however, the youngster informed the sage, “If you wish to see me again, you will find me again in Ananthankaadu,” referring to a modern temple in Trivandrum that is located behind the current Padmanabhaswamy temple.
Temple’s Treasure
In order to unlock the six vaults that were locked inside the temple, the Supreme Court of India dispatched a seven-person team in 2011 in the presence of the Head Trustee of the Travancore Trust of Sri Anantha Padmanabha Swamy. Everyone gasped in amazement as these chambers were revealed!
Thousands of gold coins from various countries, sacks of diamonds, piles of rare stones, hundreds of gold sculptures, numerous gold idols, mountains of gold utensils, and expensive ancient weapons could all be found in the rooms. Over 1 tonne of pure gold and diamonds made up the precious objects that were discovered, and they were worth over $1 trillion!
Many of the gold statues that were discovered were over 9 feet tall and set with priceless stones. The vault included enormous solitaire diamonds, each larger than a person’s thumb. There were also mounds of solid gold coconut shells that weighed more than 66 pounds and 18-foot-long gold and diamond necklaces.
Festivals at Temple
Thiruvonam
The temple joyfully commemorates Shree Padmanabhaswamy’s birthday with the festival of Thiruvonam. Traditional practises are carried out in the manner that was passed down from the ancestors over many generations.
Thulam and Meenam
The temple hosts twice-yearly celebrations like Thulam and Meenam, a ten-day festival honouring Shree Padmanabhaswamy the deity. Elephants were traditionally employed to transport the idols during the rite, but this practise has since been discontinued after an elephant bolted, terrifying and upsetting the locals.
Lakshadeepam
The entire temple is decorated with numerous lamps in honour of Lakshadeepam, the festival of a thousand lamps. The temple looks really stunning during this celebration.
Temple’s Dress Code
- Sarees, Mundum Neriyathum (set-mundu), skirts with blouses, and half-sarees are necessary for women.
- Gowns are permitted for young girls under the age of 12.
- Men must also cover their torsos while wearing a mundu or dhoti.
- At the entryway, dhotis are readily available for rental.
- To prevent causing the devotees any hardship, these requirements have recently been slightly loosened.
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