Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple
Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple is one of the most important and popular Hindu temples in India. It is located in the town of Guruvayur in the Thrissur district of Kerala. The temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna, who is worshipped in the form of a four-armed standing Vishnu carrying the conch Panchajanya, the discus Sudarshana, the mace Kaumodaki, and a lotus with a tulasi garland.
The temple has a rich legend and history. According to legend, the idol of Lord Krishna at Guruvayur was worshipped by his parents Vasudeva and Devaki, and represents the full manifestation of Vishnu. The name of the Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple is derived from the words “Guru” and “Vayu”. The legend goes that the idol of Lord Krishna worshipped in Guruvayur was originally worshipped in the city of Dwarka, which was Lord Krishna’s kingdom. When Dwarka submerged into the sea after Lord Krishna’s departure from the mortal world, this idol was submerged as well. Sage Brihaspati (Deva Guru), with his divine vision saw the idol of Lord Krishna floating in the sea. Impressed by the sanctity and significance of the idol, he decided to retrieve it and establish it as a place of worship. Vayu, the Lord of the Wind, is believed to have helped Guru in this endeavor.
In the Mahabharata, the temple is mentioned in the story of King Janamejaya. Janamejaya was the son of King Parikshit, who was killed by a snakebite. Janamejaya was so enraged by his father’s death that he decided to conduct a snake sacrifice to kill all snakes on Earth. However, the sage Astika intervened and stopped Janamejaya from his pursuit. Since Janamejaya was responsible for the death of millions of snakes, he was afflicted with Leprosy. Janamejaya tried all possible ways but couldn’t get rid of his disease. One day Sage Atreya told him to take refuge under the feet of Krishna at Guruvayur. He spent 10 months at the temple and got completely cured for his illness.
The Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple is believed to be over 5,000 years old. However, the earliest historical records of the temple date back to the 14th century. The temple was rebuilt several times over the centuries, due to wars and natural calamities. The current temple structure was built in the 17th century. The Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple has been under the patronage of various dynasties over the centuries. In the 18th century, the temple came under the control of the Zamorin of Calicut. The Zamorins were great devotees of Lord Krishna and they did a lot to develop and maintain the temple.
Elephants have been associated with the Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple for centuries. According to legend, the first elephant to be donated to the temple was by the sage Brihaspati, the guru of the gods. Over the centuries, many other elephants have been donated to the Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple by devotees. The elephants are used in a variety of temple rituals and ceremonies.
One of the most famous elephants associated with the Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple is “Gajarajan” Guruvayur Kesavan. According to Guruvayur lore, Valiya Raja of Nilambur once prayed to the Lord to save his family and property from the enemies attack. He promised to offer one of his many elephants if his wish is fulfilled. When his wish was fulfilled, he offered Keshavan to the temple on 4 January 1922. The elephant was 10 years then. It went on to serve the temple for 54 years. The head priest at the temple and the elephant’s mahout were surprised to notice Kesavan fasting on the auspicious day of Ekadashi. The Ekadashi in Guruvayur is celebrated with much fanfare with an elephant race. The winner of the elephant race would be honoured by carrying the idol of Lord Krishna on his back. It was during one such elephant race when Kesavan emerged as the winner. Kesavan won the elephant race for several years.
Many say that Keshavan bend his front-legs only before those who hold Lord’s Thidambu (Idol) to enable them to climb upon him and all others have to climb by his back-legs. He is said to have never caused harm to anyone and had the ability to lift his head a much height as possible for hours while carrying Thidambu. In 1973, the Devaswom conferred the title, `Gajarajan’, on Kesavan.
As Kesavan started aging, he was tied 32 km away from the temple town of Guruvayur, he still managed to break free from the shackles and ran towards the temple to carry the Lord. Kesavan bent forward graciously and carried the idol on his back. The will of the Gods revealed that Kesavan was the most favourite elephant of Lord Guruvayurappan.
During the Guruvayur Ekadasi procession of 1976, Keshavan fell ill and was about to tremble during the deity procession. He did pradakshina and was immediately taken to the stable. He fasted for the entire day and dropped down facing the direction of the temple with his trunk raised as a mark of prostration on 2 December 1976. His tusks can still be seen adorning the entrance of the main temple enclosure in Guruvayur. His death anniversary is still celebrated on the evening of every year’s Guruvayur Ekadasi with the elephants of Devaswom lining up before Keshavan’s statue and the chief elephant garlanding it, thus paying tribute.
Today, the Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple is one of the most popular piligrim destinations in Kerala. The temple is visited by millions of people from all over the world every year.
State: Kerala
Famous for/as: Pilgrim Divya Desham
Languages: Malayalam
Temple Timings: Please note that these timings are subject to change depending on special occasions, festivals, and specific days of the week.
3.00am to 3.20am Nirmalyam
3.20am to 3.30am Thailabhishekam, Vakacharthu, Sankhabhishekam
3.30am to 4.15am Malar Nivedyam, Alankaram
4.15am to 4.30am Usha Nivedyam
4.30am to 6.15am Ethirettu pooja followed by Usha pooja
7.15am to 9.00am Seeveli,Palabhishekam,Navakabhishekam, Pantheeradi Nivedyam, and Pooja
11.30am to 12.30pm Ucha pooja (The Noon Pooja)
4.30pm to 5.00pm Seeveli
6.00pm to 6.45pm Deeparadhana
7.30pm to 7.45pm Athazha pooja Nivedyam
7.45pm to 8.15pm Athazha pooja
8.45pm to 9.00pm Athazha seeveli
9.00pm to 9.15pm Thrippuka, Olavayana
9.15pm The Sreekovil will be closed.
Dress Code and Restrictions:
- Only traditional dress is allowed for men & women. Men need to take off shirt while entering the temple premises.
- Mobiles and Cameras are restricted.
How to reach:
- By Air: The nearest airports are Kochi around ~75 km away and Calicut around 82 kms from the temple.
- By Rail: Nearest railway station is Guruvayur station but Thrissur is the major station which is about ~27 kms from temple. Regular trains are available from Kochi, Thiruvananthapuramand major cities of India
- By Road: Well connected with all major cities and local State Buses are available from Thrissur, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and other major cities of Kerala.