Padmanabhaswamy temple (aka Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple), is a famous Hindu temple of Lord Vishnu, located inside the East Fort in city of Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. The temple is one of the 108 divya desam, 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.
Hisotry
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 Government of India with Indira Gandhi as the Prime Minister. The royal insignia of the Lord, The Valampiri Shankhu or sinistral conch-shell, 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 regional 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 Krishna) carried on flower-decked and aesthetically decorated Garuda Vahanas to the Shankhumukhom beach, for 'aaraattu' (sacramental ablution). The 'aarattu' days are declared as local public holidays in Thiruvanathapuram.
The Temple
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 elaborate 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 uthsavam (festival) conducted twice a year, during the Malayalam months of Meenam and Thulam.
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 Bhudevi, 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 Saligram that compose the reclining lord. They are special because they are from Nepal, from the banks of river Gandaki 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. Only Travancore King should perform Namaskaram in the stone slap. It is made of single stone. Here, the King even the King is called "Padmanabha Dasa" who is a servant of Lord who actually rules the Travancore state.
There are other important shrines inside the temple for Lord Narasimha, Lord Krishna, Lord Ayyappa, Lord Ganesha and Lord Hanuman. Many other small shrines like Kshetrapalan(who guards the temple), Vishwaksena and Garuda.
Legend
Sage Divakara prayed to Lord Krishna for his darshan. Lord Krishna came in disguise as a small boy who was very mischievous. Once the small cute boy swallowed the Saligrama which was kept in Puja. The Sage got enraged and started chasing the boy and finally the boy hid himself behind the tree. Then, the tree broked down and became Lord Vishnu in Sayana Kolam (lying posture) around kilometers. The Sage then prayed Lord Vishnu that he could not pray him fully as his form is so huge. Immediately, the Lord shrunk himself and told the sage that they would worship through three doors. First one where the Lord Vishnu offers worship to Lord Shiva, the second entrance is Lord Brahma praying Lord Vishnu from his lotus navel and third is Lord Vishnu holy feet which leads to salvation.
Legend
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 prepared from rice is offered to the deity here in a coconut shell.
