Guruvayur Guruvayurappan Temple, Kerala

Address

Guruvayur Guruvayurappan Temple, Guruvayur Devaswom, Guruvayur, Thirssur Kerala- 680101. Phone: +91-487-255 6335, 255 6799, 255 6347, 255 6365

Diety

Unni Krishnan

Introduction

Guruvayur Temple is dedicated to the Lord Guruvayurappan (four-armed form of the Lord Vishnu),Under the Administration of Guruvayur Devaswom, located in the town of Guruvayur in Kerala, India. It is one of the most important places of worship for Hindus in Kerala and is often referred to as Bhuloka Vaikunta (Holy Abode of Vishnu on Earth). The presiding deity of the Guruvayur Temple is Guruvayurappan (Vishnu, worshipped in the form of his avatar Krishna). The central icon is a four-armed standing Vishnu carrying the conch Panchajanya, the discus Sudarshana Chakra, the mace Kaumodaki, and a lotus with a Holy basil garland. This image represents the majestic form of Vishnu as revealed to Krishna’s parents Vasudeva and Devaki around the time of Krishna’s birth. Worship proceeds according to routines laid down by Adi Shankara and later written formally in the Tantric way, the inter-religious spiritual movement that arose in medieval India, by Chennas Narayanan Nambudiri (born in 1427). The Chennas Nambudiris are the hereditary tantris (high priest) of the Guruvayur Temple

Puranic Significance

Guruvayur is a place established by Guru Bhagwan (Jupiter) and Vayu Bhagwan. The beneficial aspect of Guru in one’s horoscope brings in to him/her boundless benefits removing everything that is not good. Vayu being the authority of wind is both soft and wild. He blows softly making people happy. He also blows fast as a tempest destroying things. Lord Krishna was soft to Pandavas and a terrible hurricane to the Kauravas. The idol of Lord Unnikrishna is made of a mixture called Padala Anjanam and not of stone or any metal. It is also said that the idol was designed and made by Lord Himself. He gave the idol to His devotee Uthava residing in Dwaraka and instructed him to deliver the idol to Prahaspathi-Guru Bhagwan when Dwaraka would be swallowed by a tsunami and added that Guru can install it in a place of his choice. As destined, Vayu became violent and blew fast. Sea became furious and devoured Dwaraka. He picked the idol floating in sea water, picked it up and installed it in Guruvayoor. The place derived its name from Guru and Vayu. The idol of the presiding deity Unnikrishnan in the temple is not one made of stone or a metal but of a mixture called Padala Anjanam.

Beliefs

Parents pray here for healthy food for their children, long happy wedded life and for cure from leprosy. Devotees, realizing their wishes offer things of their choice to Lord Equal to their weight, a practice called Thulabaram.

Special Features

Parents do the first rice feeding (Choru Oottal in Tamil and Malayalam) to their children, a ritual called Anna prasanam in this temple on April 14 each year being the Chithirai Vishu Tamil New year day. It is their staunch faith that Lord would take care of the child with nutritious food for ever. The temple celebrates many Vaishnava festivals among which the Vrichika Ekadasi is very important. The festival begins 18 days earlier. The temple has 52 elephants. They only open temple doors. As an elephant carries Lord during festivals, a running race is conducted among them and the winner elephant would thus become eligible to carry the Lord during festivals. The temple will be opened at 3.00 a.m. and the first puja is offered to Lord Krishna without removing the garlands etc. used in the previous day. This is known as Nirmalya Puja. Abishek follows then. Many visit the temple on Chithirai 1 st – April 14 for the darshan when the Melshanthi (chief priest) offers Kai Neettam – offering a coin to the devotees considered a gift direct from Lord. Handful of coins are offered to Kerala politicians that day. This means that with the blessings of Lord Guruvayurappan-Lord Krishna, there won’t be money shortage for the devotee throughout the year. The idol of Lord Unnikrishnan-Guruvayurappan is not made of stone or metal but of a mixture called Padala Anjanam. Lord Unni Krishnan-Kannan blesses devotees as a Child who showed from His mouth to His Mother Yasodha the whole world with all its land, mountains, rivers, forests and all beings. It is believed that those tying their wedding knots in this holy temple will have a long happy married life. Wedding ceremonies are common daily in the temple.

Festivals

Chithirai Vishu-Tamil New Year Day falling almost on April 14 and Vrichika Ekadasi are the festivals celebrated in the temple.

Century/Period/Age

1000- Years old

Managed By

Malabar Devaswom Board.

Nearest Bus Station

Guruvayur

Nearest Railway Station

Guruvayur

Nearest Airport

Kochi

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