Guruvayur Temple

A record 416 marriages were recently solemnised at the Guruvayur Temple in Kerala on a single day, highlighting the temple's importance as a major centre of Hindu pilgrimage and traditional marriage ceremonies.

About Guruvayur Temple

Guruvayur Temple, also known as the “Dwarka of the South,” is a Hindu temple located in Guruvayur town of Thrissur district, Kerala.

The temple is dedicated to Guruvayurappan, a revered form of Lord Vishnu worshipped as Baby Krishna.

History of Guruvayur Temple

According to traditional belief, the presiding deity is around 5,000 years old.

The name Kuruvayur is mentioned in the 14th-century Tamil literary work Kokasandesam. References to Kuruvayur are also found in 16th-century sources.

However, the earliest recorded history of the temple dates back to the 17th century CE.

The present temple structure was rebuilt in 1638 CE.

In 1716, the Dutch plundered and set fire to the temple. The temple was subsequently rebuilt in 1747.

In 1766, Hyder Ali of Mysore captured Kozhikode and subsequently Guruvayur. He demanded a ransom of 10,000 fanams to spare the temple. The ransom was paid, but insecurity led to a decline in pilgrim visits.

In 1789, Tipu Sultan destroyed smaller shrines and attempted to set fire to the temple. However, the temple was reportedly saved by timely rainfall.

Following Tipu Sultan's defeat by the Travancore and English forces in 1792, the idol, which had been hidden underground to protect it, was reinstalled in 1792.

In terms of daily devotees, Guruvayur Temple is described as one of India's major pilgrimage shrines.

Architectural Features

Guruvayur Temple is renowned for its traditional Kerala-style temple architecture, characterised by gabled roofs, wooden carvings and intricate sculptures.

Important structures within the temple complex include the Nalambalam, which surrounds the sanctum sanctorum, the Balikkal, or sacrificial stone, and the Deepastambam, or pillar of lights.

The walls of the sanctum sanctorum are decorated with ancient 17th-century murals.

The Dwajasthamba is another prominent feature. It is a flagstaff approximately 70 feet tall and is covered with gold.

Thulabharam

Thulabharam is one of the most popular offerings at the temple. In this ritual, a devotee is weighed against an offering material such as jaggery, coconuts, sugar or bananas on a large weighing scale.

The quantity equivalent to the devotee's weight is then offered to the deity.

Elephants and Punnathur Kotta

The temple is also associated with a large population of captive male Asian elephants.

The Punnathur Kotta elephant sanctuary, located close to the temple, houses approximately 56 elephants according to the given information.