Guruvayur is one of the most important pilgrimage centres
for Hindus in the southern state of India. It is a thriving township situated
at a distance of about 29 km to the north west of the cultural capital of
Kerala, the “God’s own country”.
Guruvayur is a narrow strip of land placed on
the south western edge of Indian subcontinent and is considered as on e of the
top 10 paradises in the world. It is a scenic town which is located in Trissur
district of Kerala. The most important attraction of this temple is the Guruvayur
Sri Krishna Temple.
The Temple
Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple is located in the Guruvayur
town in Kerala. The temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Krishna. The
temple is regarded as one of the most significant places of worship for the
Hindus in Kerala. The temple is also commonly referred as "Bhuloka
Vaikunta", which according to the local language means the "Holy
Abode of Vishnu on Earth". Still, even though the temple is regarded as
one of the most sacred spots for the Vishnu followers, this temple is not a
part of the renowned list of 108 Divya Desams temples. Only Hindus are allowed
inside this temple.
The main deity in the inner sanctum of the Guruvayur
Temple is that of Lord Vishnu, who is worshipped in the form of Lord Krishna,
his incarnation. The idol of the deity inside this temple has four arms, each
of them are carrying the conch Pancajanya, the discus Sudarshana Chakra, the
mace Kaumodaki and a lotus with a Holy basil garland respectively. This idol
presents the majestic form of Vishnu, which was revealed to Lord Krishna’s
parents Vasudeva and Devaki, at the time of this birth. Due to this reason
Guruvayur is also known as "Dwarka of South India".
Importance of the Temple
The main idol of Lord Vishnu inside the Guruvayur Temple
is unique, as it is made out of a stone called "Patalanjana Stone".
This small idol is made out of the stone known as black antimony, which is a
magnetic stone and it is said to comprise special medicinal properties.
The entire life of the people living in the Guruvayur
town revolves around the temple and there is very less activity beyond the ones
connected with the temple even though there are few other notable temples in
this area.
Lord Krishna in Guruvayoor is popularly known as Sri
Guruvayoorappan. The word ‘Appan’ means God or father so the title given to
Lord Krishna by the people in this region means the ‘God or Father of
Guruvayoor’. Every morning the God is sprinkled with a special cleansing powder
made of herbs known as “vaka”. The powder is light brown in color that adds
tone to the idol of the God. Devotees visit this temple at 3 in the morning in
order to witness this alluring sight of the Lord Vishnu. Water that is
consecrated with holy mantras is poured over the idol for his ritual bath.
After this, the holy water is eagerly drunk by the devotees as it is believed
to have miraculous properties of the stone of which the idol is structured.
How to Reach
By Road: The Guruvayur town is easily accessible from
the bus station is Thrissur. Regular bus services with other significant towns
of Kerala and the neighboring states like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
By Rail: The town has a railway station towards the
east of the temple, which is linked to the Madras-Kochi line of the Southern
Railway at Thrissur.
By Air: The nearest airport to this town is Cochin
International Airport, located at a distance of about 87 km.
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