Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple is the most famous temple in Kerala and the main temple of capital city of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram. It is believed to be the protector of Thiruvananthapuram and is also one of the 108 main temples dedicated to Lord Vishnu.
Brief History
There is no proper evidence of how old is this temple especially when is the first time the original idol is consecrated however, most historians will agree that Padmanabhaswamy temple is 5,000-year-old. And the present state of this temple which is built by King Marthanda Varma ruler of kingdom of Travancore and vowed that he and his descendants would serve the kingdom as Padmanabha Dasa or the Servant of Lord Padmanabha. It is still managed by a trust headed by the royal family of Travancore.
Padmanabhaswamy Temple and Thiruvananthapuram
The main deity of this temple is Lord Vishnu, who is here in Anantha posture, reclining posture of Lord Vishnu on Sheshnaag and because of this he is also known as Lord Anantha. So, it is also known as Anantha Padmanabha swamy temple. Even the name of this capital city is after Lord Anantha (another name of Lord Vishnu), who is the main god of this temple, Thiruv-anantha-puram means city of Lord Anantha.
Temple Location and How to Get Entry
It is located very close to east fort and has four entrance gates located in four directions east, west, north and south. The main gate is east gate where you could also visit Padmatheertham pond also known as Anantha Theertham. It is very popular place and is very much accessible. It is 3 Km from Trivandrum Central Railway Station, 5 Km from Trivandrum Airport, and buses are directly connected to its main gate near east fort so, reaching here won’t be a tough job. You can visit anytime during the day however if you want to visit the main sanctum then you need to follow these timings
Morning
3:30 – 4:15
5:15 – 6:15
8:30 – 11:00
12:00 – 12:15
Evening
16:00 – 18:30
19:00 – 19:20
These timing are being followed throughout the year however, during festivals and special occasions these timings may vary.
Padmanabhaswamy Temple Dress Code
There’s very strict dress code of Padmanabhaswamy temple for both male and female. Only cultural dress is allowed here. Men need to wear mundu or dhoti (worn around the waist and going down up to the heels) and should not wear shirts of any kind. Women need to wear sari, mundum neriyathum (set-mundu), skirt and blouse, or half sari. Even children need to wear dhoti to enter the temple. You can also wear a dhoti over your dress if you are not comfortable. There are many shops nearby from where you could buy cultural dress at good price and many also provide rented dress. Also changing rooms are there for both male and female where you could change your dress to enter the temple premises.
Richest Temple in the World
Anantha Padmanabha swamy temple is world’s richest temple hiding treasures worth trillions. Its total treasure has not been discovered yet. In 2011 government of India ordered to explore its treasures. The committee found 6 vaults and named it A, B, C, D, E and F. They were able to open only 5 vaults and found treasures worth more than 1,00,000 crores. Vault B has not been opened yet and is believed to be guarded by supernatural beings and serpents. There are many stories around this vault B which says whoever tried to open this gate have died. Even some of the people who opened these vaults have died untimely within few months of opening these gates including the petitioner named Sundarajan.
You should definitely visit this ancient and beautiful Trivandrum temple, Padmanabhaswamy temple to experience its unmatched heritage. And yes, do not forget to have tasty prasadam after your prayers. There are many other temples nearby that you could visit when you come here.
Watch this Kerala Temple Challenge Video on my YouTube channel.
Until next time, keep travelling and take care of Nature.