SHRI PADMANABHA SWAMY KSHETRAM IN TIRUVANANTHAPURAM - KERALA STATE. (-TO KNOW ABOUT SHIVA / VAISHNAVA TEMPLES AROUND SOUTH INDIA -) //// HARI SARVOTHAMA - VAYU JEEVOTHAMA //// The Padmanabhaswamy temple Sree Padmanabhaswamy Kshetram) is located in the centre of Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala. Rather unusually for Kerala, the temple was built in the Dravidian style, mostly associated with the temples located in the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu, featuring high walls and a 16th-Century Gopuram. The temple is a replica of the Adikesava Perumal temple located in Kanyakumari. The principal deity Vishnu is enshrined in the Anantha-Sayanam posture – the eternal yogic sleep on the serpent Anantha.[4] The titular Maharaja of Travancore Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma is the trustee of the temple as Sree Padmanabhadasa, the Servant of Lord Padmanabha, a title first adopted by Marthanda Varma in the mid-18th century. In line with the Temple Entry Proclamation, only those who profess the Hindu faith are permitted entry to the temple. Devotees have to strictly follow the dress code. The origin of the Temple of Sree Padmanabhaswamy is lost in antiquity. It is not possible to determine with any exactitude, from any reliable historical documents or other sources as to when and by whom the original idol of Sree Padmanabhaswamy was consecrated. The Temple has references in Epics and Puranas. Srimad Bhagavatha says that Balarama visited this Temple, bathed in Padmatheertham and made several offerings. Nammalwar, 9th century poet and one among the 12 Vaishnavite saints of the Alvar tradition, has composed ten hymns in praise of Lord Padmanabha. Some well known scholars, writers and historians, like the late Dr. L.A.Ravi Varma of Travancore, have expressed the view that this Temple was established on the first day of Kali Yuga (which is over 5000 years ago). The legends of the Temple are handed down through the centuries. One such legend which finds a place in the old palm leaf records of the Temple, as also in the famous grantha entitled “Ananthasayana Mahatmya”, mentions that it was consecrated by a Tulu Brahmin hermit named Divakara Muni. On the 950th year of Kali Yuga a reinstallation of the idol was done. In the 960th Kali year King Kotha Marthandan built the Abhisravana Mandapam. The story as narrated in the Ananthasayana Mahatmya goes as follows. Divakara Muni was a great Vishnu Bhaktha. While at ‘Aanarthadesa’, he performed deep tapas. One day Maha Vishnu appeared before the sage as a lovely child. The charming child attracted the attention of the sage. He requested the God-child to stay with him. The child made his stay conditional. Accordingly, the Sanyasi should treat him with respect. On failing to do so, he would vanish at once. This was accepted and the child stayed with him. The hermit gave him great care and tolerated the childish pranks. One day, when the sanyasi was in deep meditation at his prayers, the chills took the ‘salagram’ which the sanyasi was using for worship and put it into his mouth and made such a nuisance of himself that Divakara Mini was greatly angered and could tolerate it no further. He thereupon chastised the child. In accordance with the earlier agreement, immediately the child ran away and disappeared from the spot. While going he said, “If you wish to see me again, you will find me again in Ananthankaadu”. It was only then that Divakara Muni realized who his erstwhile child guest had been. The hermit was stricken with inconsolable grief and for many days followed what, he believed was the route taken by the child foregoing food, rest and sleep in the process. Finally he reached a wooded area near the sea coast, caught a glimpse of the child disappearing into a huge ‘Ilappa’ tree. Immediately the tree fell into the ground and it assumed the form of Sree Maha Vishnu. The divine form had its head at ‘Thiruvallam’(a place about 3 miles from East Fort at where the Temple of Sree Padmanabha Swamy is located) and its feet at ‘Trippapur’ (5 miles away towards the north). Overawed by the majesty and the size of the divine form, which manifested before him, the Sanyasi prayed to the Lord to condense Himself in size so that he could behold Him. There upon the image of the Lord shrank to a size, three times the length of the Sanyasy’s Yoga Dand. His prayers had been granted. He immediately offered a raw mango in a coconut shell(still this offering continues). The Lord ordained that, poojas to Him should be conducted by Tulu Brahmins. To this day half the number of poojaris (priests) in this Temple represent Tulu region. In 1758, during the reign of Sree Karthika Thirunal Rama Varma, the fabulous Kulasekhara Mandapam was build. It is a marvelous and fantastic architectural work on stone. It is also known as Aayiramkal Mandapam and Sapthaswara Mandapam. It is supported by 28 balustrades of pillars. The pillars on the four corners can produce musical notes when taped. In 1820 a very big mural mirroring the Ananthasayanam, which is termed as the biggest in the temple murals of Kerala, was drawn during the period of Rani Goury Parvathi Bayi. The Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple as per belief is located at a place that is considered as one of the seven Parasurama Kshetras. And references of this temple are there in texts like the Puranas, viz. the Skanda Purana and Padma Purana. The temple stands close to the holy tank - Padma Theertham, which means lotus spring. The shrine is currently run by a trust headed by the erstwhile royal family of Travancore. The Idol The idol of the presiding deity of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple is noted for its composition, which has 12008 salagramams, which were brought from Nepal, taken from the banks of the River Gandhaki. The garbhagriha or the sanctum sanctorum of Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple is located on a stone slab and the main idol, which is about 18 ft long, can be viewed through three different doors. The head and chest are seen through the first door; while the hands can be sighted through the second door and the feet through the third door. Aesthetics and architecture The temple architecture stands out for its work in stone and bronze. The temple interiors are adorned by beautiful paintings and murals. Some of them are that of the life-size images of Lord Vishnu in the reclining posture, Narasimha Swamy (half-lion, half man incarnation of Lord Vishnu), Lord Ganapati and Gaja Lakshmi. The temple has a dhwaja stamba (flag post) that is about 80 ft high and is covered with gold plated copper sheets. The temple also has some interesting structural features in the form of Bali Peeda Mandapamand Mukha Mandapam. These are halls, decorated with beautiful sculptures of various Hindu deities. Another structure that captures attention here is the Navagraha Mandapa the ceiling of which displays the navagrahas (the nine planets). Broad corridor with 365 and 1/4 sculptured granite stone pillars. SHRI PADMANABHA SWAMY TEMPLE TREASURE :- Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple is one of the most famous Lord Vishnu Temples in Kerala, South India. Also known as Sree Ananda Padmanabhaswamy Temple, this Mahavishnu Temple is located inside East Fort, in Thiruvananthapuram - the capital city of Kerala, India. Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple became the richest Hindu Temple in India as well as the world. As on 7th July 2011, after completing the asset valuation of the 5 secret cellars of the temple the treasure sums to more than Rs. 100,000 crore, that’s around US$22.3 billion in total, without even calculating the antique value of the objects. Earlier Sree Tirumala Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh was regarded as the richest temple in India. Other richest temples in India are the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab, and Shirdi Sai Baba Temple in Maharashtra. Now it is proved that the treasure is less than the Balajis revenue. Well, at last the surprise of the last room treasure will come to an end. Let the Government keep the ornaments and belongings of the great kings in a safe place. Its a great record in India which remains in history. LIST of Treasures found in Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple are, Ponnali Pattathali 1 Lakh Gold Coins Rare Priceless Gems Precious Diamonds like Indraneelam, Belgium Diamonds, Emeralds, Rubies 1200 Sarappoli Gold Chains Gold Crowns like Kulashekharaperumal Crown which was used by Kings of Travancore Kashu Mala (Necklaces) 400 Gold Necklaces with Marathakam stone Coconut shell shaped Gold Antique Crafts items made of gold and decorated with Rubies, Emeralds, Gems 16 Golden Ankis (Gold Clothe made using threads of gold) was found which is believed to be used to cover the big diety Anantha Padmanabha Swamy of this temple. Rare Old Coins used by Travancore More than 2000 Gold ornaments Gold Plates (Swarna Thalika) Gold Chains of up to 3 and 10.5 kg and of about 18 ft also Golden Idol of Padmanabha Swamy Swarna (Gold) Dhanuss Swarna (Gold) Pathakams 4 Feet tall Golden statue of Lord Vishnu studded with precious emeralds Gold Staffs Golden Utensils Golden Umbrellas (Thankakuda) Gold Pots Gold Varpu, Uruli (Big Utensil) Gold Kazhuthu Kudam, Kazhuthukootam Khadika Thadi Kumbheeyam Silver Moola Pattika Gold, Silver Nilavilakku Gold Kindi Silver, Gold Dharakidaram Kudumudi Narayam God Shiva Idols made of Gold Serpents idols in Gold Golden rings Gold Thali Soon we will see more !! *********************************************************************************** THANKS FOR SOURCES :- https://keralatourism.org sreepadmanabhaswamytemple.org/ templenet en.wikipedia.org FROM VENKATA SUBBARAO RAGHAVENDRA RAO . /// SHRI KRISHNAARPANA MASTHU ///
Posted on: Sun, 28 Dec 2014 16:15:45 +0000
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