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Guruvayoor temple, Guruvayur Overview
One of the most important places of worship for Hindus is the GuruvayurSree Krishna Temple, located in the Guruvayoor town in Kerala. This sacred temple has a long history behind it. Lord Mahavishnu, in the form of Balakrishna, is worshipped in this holy temple. Lord Mahavishnu is also known by the name Unnikrishnan. The idol of Lord Mahavishnu is decorated with Tulasi or Basil Garland and a beautiful pearl necklace.
Legend says that the temple was created by the preceptors of gods and Lord Vayu, the God of winds. Rather than stone or metal, which were the common materials used in making idols this dazzling idol of Lord Unnikrishnan Guruvayur is made of PadalaAnjanam. This place has an attracting pull to it, and thousands of devotees visit this temple every year. The devotees have to stand in long queues for entering the place, and the temple is strictly only for Hindus. This enchanting temple is worth travelling long distances and standing in long queues.
More on Guruvayoor temple
Guruvayoor Temple Pooja Timings
Opening timings: 3:00 AM
As soon as the temple opensNirmalyam take place from 3:00 AM to 3:30 AM
The Nirmalayam consists of-
Oilabhishekam, Vakacharthu, Sankhabhishekamwhich is from 3:20 AM – 3:30 AM
After the Nirmalayam-
Malar Nivedyam, Alankaramtakes place from 3:30 AM -4:15 AM
Usha Nivedyamfrom 4:15 AM- 4:30 AM
Ethirettu Pooja from 4:30 AM – 6:15 AM
Seeveli, Palabhishekam, Navakabhishekam, PantheeradiNivedyam, and Pooja from 7:15
AM till 9:00 AM
The noon pooja also called the Ucha Pooja starts from 11:30 AM and continues till 12.30 PM
Closing timings during the afternoon is from 1.30 PM till 4:30 PM
As the temple opens again at 4:30 PM the following schedule is followed –
Seevelitakes place from 4:30 PM-5:00 PM
Deeparadhana from 6:00 PM- 6:45 PM
Athazha Pooja Nivedyamfrom 7:30 PM- 7:45 PM
Between 7:45 PM and 9:00 PM the Athazha pooja and seevelitakes place.
The last activity of the day is the famous Thripukkawhich is from 9:00 PM till 9:15 PM.
At 9:15 the temple is finally closed.
There is a special day called “Vilakku”. On this special day,the Thripuka is performed. The temple is known for its Khrishnanattamwhere the journey of Lord Krishna is shown on some days.
*The above timings are precise. There may be some changes on the occasion ofUdavasthamana pooja or some other special days.
History of Guruvayoor temple
Believed to be established in the year 1638 AD, the Guruvayoor Temple has been destroyed and restored a number of times. The devotees of this temple Poonthanam, Melpattur, Vilvamangalam, the Prince Manadevan (Zamorin), and Kururamma promoted it among others making it one the most visited pilgrimage sites in India. In the year 1970, a huge destructive fire broke out, but this temple still managed to outshine the 5-hour long disaster. Surprisingly the Vigraha and the idols ofAyyappa, Devi and Ganesha remained damage free. This was only possible as people of different caste and creed not caring about their religion came together and helped to drown the fire.
The architecture of Guruvayoor temple
The Guruvayur Temple is constructed in a traditional Kerala style. The temple is faced towards the east direction. The Guruvayur temple has two Gopurams called the Paringjarenada and the Khizakkenada. Both are directed in differentdirections(east and west). The main shrine is entered through the Khizakkenada. The idol of Lord Mahavishnu looks really beautiful as it is made up of rare mixture of PadalaAnjanam. Dwajasthambam or the flag post is gold plated and about 33.5m high. The temple looks even more enchanting when the Deepsthambam with thirteen circular receptacles that are 7 m high are lit.
Tips for Visiting Guruvayoor temple
Here are a few important instructions one must follow during there visit to the temple.
- Only those who follow Hinduism are allowed to visit the temple
- You must remove your shoes and cover your head.
- Devotees should wear only traditional Indian clothes.
- There is usually a long queue at the temple, and you must be patient and calm.
- Electronic devices, including mobiles and camera, are strictly prohibited inside the temple.
- You don’t need to worry about your footwears and electronic items as they are kept safely in lockers.
- Leather products are prohibited.
- Make sure not to carry any food items from outside.
How to Reach Guruvayoor temple
The easiest way to reach the Guruvayoor Temple is to hire a taxi or take a bus. The bus stand is located near Manjulal at the east of the temple. From Thrissur, you can take a car which will take approximately 30 minutes to reach or even consider taking a bus which come at a frequency of every 5 minutes.