Guruvayoor Temples

The Guruvayoor Temple, located a mere 29 kilometres from the Thissur district in Kerala is a one of the most important destinations for pilgrimage, not just in Kerala, but the whole of South India as well. Also known as Bhoolokavaikunta, meaning heaven on Earth, the Guruvayoor Temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna, who is the presiding deity, even though there are other idols of Ganapathy, Sree Ayyappa and Edathedathy Kavil Bhagavathy.

The Guruvayoor temple is thronged by pilgrims who believe the temple possess miraculous healing powers. Also, this a preferred site for weddings and annaprashan (first feeding of child) ceremonies. During a temple to Gruvayoor in Kerala, tourists can also see the annual Chemabai Sangeethoutsavam festival, which is an annual cultural extravaganza. You can also catch a glimpse of the 50 temple elephants that are housed nearby to the Gurvayoor Temple.

Open only to Hindus, the Guruvayoor Temple is a charming structure replete with floral murals and rich woodcarvings. The outer enclosure, known as 'chuttambalam' contains the 33.5 m high, gold-plated 'dhwajastambham' or flag-mast. Also, just outside the sanctum sanctorum is a 7m tall structure known as 'dipastambham' or pillar of lamps, which when lit in the evenings gives an ethereal look to the entire Guruyavoor temple complex.

Shrouded in legend, there is an interesting story behind the origin of the Guruvayoor Temple in Kerala, India. It is said that the temple dedicated to Lord Krishna was destroyed when the holy city of Dwarka was submerged under the sea. Guru, the preceptor of the gods and Vayu, the god of the winds were entrusted with the job of finding an equally holy place for anew temple. When they finally selected a site, the place came to known as Guruvayur and the deity, Guruvayurappan.

The various Kerala Pilgrim Centres are

• Guruvayoor Temple
• Sabarimala Temple
• Thrissur Pooram Temple Festival

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