Guruvayur, Trissur & Nalambalam Temples, Kerala

Guruvayur  - Bhuloka Vaikuntam:

This is our first place to visit along with family into Kerala. Started around 5:30am from BGL and reached Guruvayur by 3pm. Due to holiday season traffic was jam in toll booths. while going we took our road way via erode and beautiful backwater and greenery all over. There are so many hotels available in Guruvayur walkable distances from temple. We went to temple in the evening around 4:30pm. It was heavy  crowded and big queue due to holidays and sabarimala season. By 7pm we could able to complete darshan and waited there till dia offerings and also got an opportunity to see the elephant utsav in the night time. we were blessed to lighten the dia's during our visit into the temple. The architecture of the temple premise and culture is totally different. One must visit without fail to this place.

History:

The idol of Guruvayrrappan, the central deity of the temple is timeless in history. Mythological history says Lord Vishnu created this image presented to Brahma, the creator before the start of creations. Brahma passed it on to King Sutapas and his wife Prasni. Pleased by their devotion, Vishnu gave a boon to them that he would incarnate in their family in four of their consecutive births.

Thus, in their successive births, Lord Vishnu was born to them as Prasnigarbha, Vamana, Rama and Krishna. In all these births, the couple worshipped the idol. The couple got their salvation as Vasudeva and Devaki after Krishna was born to them. Krishna inherited the idol from them and worshipped it in Dwarka.

Before leaving his mortal coils, Krishna said his friend Uddhava that in seven days the city of Dwarka would be swallowed by the sea and therefore the idol of Vishnu must be transported to a safer place. The sea invaded Dwarka as Krishna foretold and Uddava carried the idol with the help of Guru (teacher of gods) and Vayu (air god).

While passing over the present site of the temple, they were told that the site was a holy place of exquisite natural beauty since Lord Shiva worshipped Vishnu at this place. They installed the idol at this place and a temple sprang up. The name Guruvayur ensued as Guru and Vayu transported the idol here.

The idol is said to be made of a highly powerful stone called Patala Anjanama that has several healing and miraculous properties.

Courtesy: various sources from internet

Near By Places:

Visited Mammiyur Mahadeva Temple where we can see the deities of Lord Shiva and Vishnu in this temple. A very rare !

From there went to Parthasarthi Temple, near by railway station. Inside we can see some of the silver plated items for praying for all the material problems in front of the Lord and return them back. 

After that we went to Thiru Venkatachalapathi Temple other side of the railway station. There was board inside the temple where pilgrims can take any or all of the issues mentioned there and pay 30/- for each to know if its good or bad. They will be  given a receipt and we need to take coconuts based on the count that how many we want to know and take them inside give it to pujari. He will break that coconut and tell us if its good sign or not. Totally different experience. Here temple is getting renovation now.

Near by temple 3.5KM we visited elephant camp

Then started to Nalambala Temples: These are temples for Lord Rama and his brothers of Ramayana. There are around five sets of Nalambalams in Kerala, the most famous among them being the four temples located in Thrissur and Ernakulam districts, namely Thriprayar Sree Rama Temple, Koodalmanikyam Bharatha Temple, Moozhikkulam Lakshmana Temple and Payyammal Shathrughna Temple.

Temple Address and Timings

1. Thriprayar Sree Rama Temple, Temple Road, Valapad PO, Thrissur District, Triprayar, Kerala 680567 : 3am - 12pm & 4:45pm - 8:30pm

2. Koodalmanikyam Temple, The Administrator, Koodalmanikyam Devasom, Trissur District, Irinjalakuda, Kerala 680121  : 4am - 11:30am & 5pm - 8pm

3. Thirumoozhikkulam Sree Lakshmana Perumal Temple, Moozhikulam, Kurumaseri, Kerala 683579  : 5am - 11am & 5pm - 8pm

4. Payammal Sree Shathrugna Swamy Temple, Sathrughna Nagar, Payammal Road, P.O, Aripalam, Kerala 680688  : 4:30am - 10am & 5pm - 7:30pm

Back  to Trissur and over night stay. 

Vadakkunnathan Temple

Early morning visited Vadakkunathan temple.  This is one of the biggest temple and its architecture is fantastic. Had nice darshan and spent some good time in temple.

Temple Timings: 4am - 11am & 5pm - 8pm

All over kerala, all these temples dress code is there.

Men can only wear Mundu & Veshti, and boys can wear shorts.

Women can wear Saris, skirts & Salwar Kameez.

with this, we are heading back to home with great memories.