Dwaraka Of The South-Guruvayurappan Temple

GURUVAYURAPPAN TEMPLE

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GURUVAYUR

 Guruvayoor temple is located in Thrissur district of kerala state of india.

Guruvayoor is one of the most sacred and important pilgrim centres of Kerala. Its main attraction is the Sree Krishna Temple, considered the Dwaraka of the South. This historic temple is shrouded in mystery.

 According to belief, the temple is the creation of Guru, the preceptor of the Gods, and Vayu, God of the winds.

The presiding deity is MahaVishnu, in standing posture with four hands carrying Sankhu(conch), Sudarshana chakram (a serrated disk),lotus and mace. He is worshipped as Balakrishna, the full avatar (Purnaavatara) of Mahavishnu .The idol is made of a rare stone known as Patala Anjana.

Parents do the first rice feeding (Choru Oottal in Tamil and Malayalam) to their children, a ritual called Anna prasanam in this temple on April 14 each year being the Chithirai Vishu-Tamil New year day.  It is their staunch faith that Lord would take care of the child with nutritious food for ever.

The temple celebrates many Vaishnava festivals among which the Vrichika Ekadasi is very important.  The festival begins 18 days earlier.  The temple has 52 elephants.  They only open temple doors. 

 As an elephant carries Lord during festivals, a running race is conducted among them and the winner elephant would thus become eligible to carry the Lord during festivals.

The idol of Lord Unnikrishna is made of a mixture called Padala Anjanam and not of stone or any metal.  It is also said that the idol was designed and made by Lord Himself.

  

He gave the idol to His devotee Uthava residing in Dwaraka and instructed him to deliver the idol to Prahaspathi-Guru Bhagwan when Dwaraka would be swallowed by a tsunami and added that Guru can install it in a place of his choice.

 As destined, Vayu became violent and blew fast.  Sea became furious and devoured Dwaraka.  He picked the idol floating in sea water, picked it up and installed it in Guruvayoor.  The place derived its name from Guru and Vayu.

THE TEMPLE OPENS AT 3.00 AM

3.00am to 3.30am    Nirmalyam
3.20am to 3.30am    
Oilabhishekam, Vakacharthu, Sankhabhishekam

3.30am to 4.15am    Malar Nivedyam, Alankaram
4.15am to 4.30am    Usha Nivedyam
4.30am to 6.15am    Ethirettu pooja followed by Usha pooja
7.15am to 9.00am    Seeveli,Palabhishekam,Navakabhishekam, Pantheeradi Nivedyam, and Pooja
11.30am to 12.30pm    Ucha pooja (the noon pooja)

TEMPLE WILL BE CLOSED BETWEEN 1.30PM AND 4.30PM AND REOPENS AT 4.30 PM

By Air

Kochi international airport (Nedumbassery) is 80 kms from Guruvayoor and the Calicut airport is 100 kms away. All major international flight services are operated from these airports.

By Train

 Guruvayur has got a railway station towards the east of the temple which is connected to the Madras-Kochi line of the Southern Railway at Thrissur. 

By Bus

KSRTC and private busses offer interstate services to all major South Indian cities like Madras, Madurai, Palani, Salem, Coimbatore, Thiruchandoor, Mysore, Mangalore, Uduppi, Mookambika etc. 

THEKKADY

   

  HILL STATION 

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THEKKADY

Thekkady is the located at the Periyar National Park which is an important tourist attraction of Kerala State of india.

Thekkady is the location of one the country’s most beautiful wildlife sanctuaries and conjures up images of unending greenery, hills, plantations, elephants and tigers. In between the hills are nestled tiny habitations and winding roads that make for a fantastic drive and holiday destination.

Thekkady is a perfect retreat for anyone who loves adventure, fun, wildlife and nature. Nestled between the ever-green and semi-evergreen forests of Western Ghats, Thekkady has so many things to offer for the tourists who visit this place. In the biggest wildlife sanctuary, you can sight Asian elephants, bison, sambar deer, boars, tigers, leopards, wild squirrels, lion tailed monkeys etc.

Boat rides are offered by the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) and the Kerala Forest Department for sightseeing and spotting wildlife around the river. You can opt for a small or a big boat and pay accordingly.

Go for a night patrol with the forest authorities accompanied and forest guards.

Stop your car engine, ride up on a bullock cart and traverse through the village lanes: take a break from the mechanical bondage and experience life in its simplest form!

Feel like a huntsman for a day! The ex-poachers of Periyar National Park will guide you to an experience of a lifetime. Their tailor-made programs allow groups to venture into the whole forest till sunset. The group includes 5 visitors, 5 guides and 2 forest officials. Spot a nilgiri Langur, meet an elephant and encounter the tiger!

Have a day full of enjoyment from sunrise to sunset with the hiking and rafting programs of Periyar Tiger Reserve. The curriculum includes 10 visitors who would be guided by armed and guides.

Periyar River nurtures the plantations of tea, farmed around Vandiperiyar town. Today the place has become a major trade center with a number of tea processing factories.

The fertile land of Kerala has an abundance of tea, coffee and spice plantation of various sizes. Thekkady is especially known for its the cardamom, pepper, vanilla etc. Also learn how to make natural rubber from latex oozing out of rubber trees.

There are number of shops selling organic garden fresh spices in this region at reasonable rates. Take back as much as you can; also choose small packets that can be used as souvenirs

lephant rides are very common and popular in Thekkady. They are available not only in the Periyar Tiger Reserve but also in the various spice plantation compounds.

Among the many programs arranged at the Periyar Tiger Reserve, the Nature Walk is a trail that takes one through dense deciduous forests and swampy grasslands. A local tribal guide will accompany a group of 5 persons and venture into a perfect exploration.

Thekkady is a destination for all season. At any time you can make a visit to Thekkady. But, winter will be the best time to be at Thekkady. The cool and pleasant climate will help you to explore this place beautifully. Most of the festivals at Thekkady take place during winter season.

By Air

Nearest airport to Thekkady is Madurai, which is located 136 km away. Madurai is connected to important airports like Chennai and Coimbatore.

By Train

Nearest railhead is Kottayam, situated 114 km away.

By Road

State public transport buses connect Thekkady with other nearby cities.

ANANTAGIRI HILLS

 

ANANTAGIRI HILLS

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VIKARABAD 

Ananthagiri hills is located 6kms from Vikarabad. This is one of the big forest area in Rangareddy district. There is a Vishnu temple in this forest area which is called Ananta Padmanabha Swami Temple. Temple will be flooded with pilgrims during the weekends. The Temple will be open through out the day. Ananthagiri hills is the place where Musi River Begins. One should not miss the water spring here.

Anatagiri is located in the ranges of the Eastern Ghats at a distance of 40 km from Vishakhapatnum. In fact Anantagiri is located of the top of the Elysian Tirumala hills approximately 17 km from Araku Valley, which is 112 kms from Vishakhapatnam.

Beat the heat with Anantagiri. The breathtakingly beautiful hill resort of Anantagiri in Andhra Pradesh is sure to sweep every tourist off the feet with its natural beauty. 

The hill resort of Anantagiri attracts pilgrims, nature lovers and tourists alike. The journey from Vishakhapatnam to Anantagiri offers many unforgettable vistas ranging from thick forests to scintillating sunrise and sunset. The fascinating hill resort of Anantagiri is a perfect retreat to head off during the blistering summer months.

Ananthagiri offers many trekking and camping opportunities. There are two trekking trails in the forests, one that begins from the Anantha Padmanabha Swamy Temple and another that begins about 0.5 kilometres from the temple, towards Kerelli. 

Deccan Trails is the camping site in Ananthagiri Hills and offers a wonderful opportunity to spot the wildlife inhabiting the surrounding forests.

The place is more commonly opted for a weekend getaway being only around 100 Km away from Vishakhapatnam, the primary reason being a great weather at around 18 degree of centigrade maintained throughout the year. No specific climate of year given preference over the other.

By Air

Nearest Airport is Vizag (also known as Vishakhapatnam) connected with cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, etc. from where a cab can be hired to cover rest of the 100 Km to Anantgiri.

By Rail

The railway station at Srikakulam is the railhead nearest to Anantagiri Hills at a distance of 3 km,Rail journey takes through the scintillating Eastern Ghats, one of the world's highest broad gauge tracks, which is from Srikakulam to Anantgiri.

By Road

There are several buses that link Anantagiri with Hyderabad.

Bikers from Vizag and Hyderabad often take these roads for a fun of different kind and stopping where there heart tells them to. People on family holidays can take bus or cab as per the need of the size of the group.

PADMANABHA SWAMY TEMPLE

PADMANABHA SWAMY TEMPLE

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TRIVANDRUM

Padmanabhaswamy Temple is located in Thiruvanathapuram of the Indian state of Kerala. It has been amessing gold for centuries.

Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala takes its name from the presiding deity of the Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple, who is also known as Anantha (one who reclines on the Serpent Ananatha). The word 'Thiruvananthapuram' literally means - the land of Sree Anantha Padmanabhaswamy.

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.

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 costliest gold idol is a 34 kg pure gold idol of Lord Vishnu, Sheshashayi (reclining on Sheshanaga), property of the Padmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruananthapuram, Kerala, India.

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.

Worship time at the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple
Morning hours:
03:30 a.m. to 04:45 a.m. (Nirmalya Darshanam)
06:30 a.m. to 07:00 a.m.
8.30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
10:30 a.m. to 11:10 a.m.
11:45 a.m. to 12:00 Noon

Evening hours:
05:00 p.m. to 06:15 p.m.
06:45 p.m. to 07:20 p.m.

By Air

There are regular flights from other major cities of the country to Thiruvananthapuram.

Airport(s): Thiruvananthapuram International Airport (TRV)

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By Train

Thiruvananthapuram is well connected to other major cities of the country via regular trains.

Railway Station(s): Trivandrum Central (TVC), Varkala Sivagiri (VAK), Trivandrum Kochuveli (KCVL), Kazhakkuttam (KZK),Thiruvananthapuram Pettah (TVP), Trivandrum Veli (VELI)

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By Bus

You can easily get regular buses to Thiruvananthapuram from other major cities of the country.

Bus Station(s): Tiruvananthapuram

MAHABALIPURAM

DREAM OF STONES

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MAHABALIPURAM

Mahabalipuram is a town in Kanchipuram district in the Indian State of Tamilnadu. It is situated sixty kilometer from chennai.

Mahabalipuram was the earlier name of Mamallapuram because the demon king Mahabali was killed by Lord Vishnu. The name was changed later by the king of Pallava Narashima Varman who has got the title of Mamalla; the great wrestler.

It was during the rule of the pallavas, great poets, dramatists, artists, artisans, scholars and saints emerged. As one can say that the pallavas are the pioneers and forerunners of new styles both in art and architecture and mahabalipuram is the best place to praise off their skill and talent. New sculptures and unique paintings were innovative and exuberant.

The beauty of the place is not only due to these architecture but the vast casuarinas trees, the silvery sandy beach the classical hand male crafts around have made them all to form what is a collective splendor.

During the early 18th century Mahabalipuram grew as the pilgrimage center, now a days it has become the favorite place of tourists where they get relaxation and enjoy sea bathing. At a nearby place from here it has an atomic plant.

In addition to the ancient monuments and temples, it has an extensive beachfront on the ocean, lined with resorts and tourist cabins. 

The town is also home to a college offering instruction in architecture and temple sculpture.

There are total 11 excavated temples in Mahabalipuram, called Mandapas, two open air bas reliefs, out of which one is incomplete. But the most famous Mahabalipuram temple, built from a rock is cut out temple, it is also known as ‘Ratha’.

The department of Tourism of Tamilnadu conducts world famous dance festivals every Saturdays and Sundays and also during holidays of the months of December and January.

 The festival is for 4 weeks and dancers all over the country participate and dance on the backdrop of the Arjuna’s penance. Classical dances, music, tribal dances and puppet shows also entertain the mass gathering.

By Air

The Nearest Airport to mahabalipuram is Chennai Airport (58 km).Chennai international airport is connected all

By Train

Nearest Railway Station is Chengalpattu Railway Station (29 km) and Chennai Railway station (58 km).

By Road

 Mahabalipuram is well connected through all the major cities and buses are available daily from Pondicherry, Kanchipuram, Chengalpattu and Chennai to Mahabalipuram.