The Guruvayur temple is considered an ancient Hindu temple and the major pilgrimage center in Kerala. It is also known as the “Dwaraka of the south”.
The supreme deity of the Guruvayur temple is lord Krishna, worshipped in the Bala Krishna form that represents innocence and divinity. It is believed that the idol of lord Krishna is around 5000 years old.
Based on Hindu mythology, the temple was consecrated by the deva guru, Brihaspathi, and the vayu ( wind god).
The Guruvayur temple is one of the important pilgrimage sites of Kerala, and it is called the Dwaraka of the south. The ruler of Calicut, known as Zamorins, played a fabulous role in the development of the Guruvayur temple, and it made the temple more popular among the devotees.
The temple faced a lot of adversities, including the invasion of Dutch rulers and Tipu Sultan during the 14th and 18th centuries, and the temple lost everything in a fire. But the idol of lord Krishna and the other deities were still preserved by the devotees, and it was reinstalled.
In 1970, the temple was again destroyed due to fire, and the collective efforts of the devotees helped in the reconstruction of the temple with more pride.
The temple was not accessible to the devotees who belonged to the lower castes, so during the 20th century, massive protests were conducted under the guidance of K. Kelappan, who is known as the Kerala Gandhi. This helped the devotees to enter the temple irrespective of caste.
The temple also witnessed lots of adversities, historical events, and miracles. This led the temple to become more popular and made it a must-visit place for Hindus to seek spiritual happiness.
Guruvayur Temple Timings
- Morning rituals
Nimalyam – 3.00 am to 3.30 am
Malar nivedyam and alankaram – 3.30 am to 4.15 am
Ethirettu pooja – 4.30 am to 6.15 am
- Midday rituals
Ucha pooja – 11.30 am to 12.30 pm
- The temple remains closed from 1.30 pm to 4.30 pm
- Evening rituals
Deeparadhana – 6.00 pm to 6.45 pm
Athazha pooja nivedyam – 7.30 pm to 7.45 pm
Athazha Seeveli – 8.45 pm to 9.00 pm
- Closing time – 9.15 pm
TEMPLE ACCESSIBILITY
- The temple is situated in the town of Guruvayur, in the Thrissur district of Kerala
- The nearest airport is Cochin International Airport
- The nearest railway station is Guruvayur railway station, and the Thrissur railway station
- Direct bus services are available from the major cities
TEMPLE ADDRESS
Guruvayur Sri Krishna temple, Guruvayur, Thrissur district, Kerala – 680101, India
TEMPLE CONTACT DETAILS
- Phone – +914872556335
- Official website – Guruvayur Devaswom
