Sree Vadakkumnathan Temple

Sree Vadakkumnathan Temple is one of the oldest Hindu temples located in Thrissur, Kerala, State in India. This Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The main deity of this Temple is Shiva, and other deities are Sree Parvati, Ganesha, Sree Rama, and Shankaranarayana. It serves as a major cultural and religious hub, especially during the Thrissur Pooram Festival. In this Temple, a dress code is required. This Temple is a popular site for both religious followers and those who are interested in culture.

Attraction

One of the most celebrated temple festivals in the state is Sree Vadakkumnathan Temple. It is well known for the Thrissur Pooram festival. The festival sees spectacular views of the elephant from various temples at the Vadakkumnathan Temple. The temple showcases traditional Kerala architecture, characterised by intricate wood, carving, and a majestic sanctum. The temple has four main gates that are of special significance.

The main idol, Shiva, is covered with Ghee. In the hot weather of Kerala, the Ghee never melts from the Lord Shiva. It is the most interesting part of visiting the temple.

History

Sree Vadakkumnathan Temple is the first Temple. The Temple was built by Lord Parasurama and is the sixth incarnation of Vishnu. The Temple is around 1300 years old. According to the legend, the Temple is connected to the Mahabharata. Shiva is known as Vadakkumnathan. The main idol of Vadakkumnathan is always covered with Ghee. There is an interesting epic-related story. The story is related to Arjun. Arjun was devoted to Lord Shiva, and he was doing a hard penance to please Shiva. But Shiva wasn’t explicit in front of Arjun. Devi Parvathy, Shiva’s peer, wanted to know why Shiva had not been pleased yet. Then Shiva told Parvathy that Aurjun had a lack of humanity because of his divine weapon. To test Arjun, Shiva disguises himself in the form of “Kirata,” or a wild tribal, and Devi Parvathy disguises himself as a tribal lady. During this time, Duryodhana, the arch-enemy of Arjun, sent a demon named Mookasuna to Interrupt the penance of Arjun. Seeing this, Shiva, in the tribal disguise, shoots an arrow at the demon to save Arjun. Arjun didn’t accept that a Mera tribal man helped him. The argument between Shiva and Arjun at a time, Arjun threw an arrow at Shiva, and Shiva was fatally wounded. Seeing this scene, Parvathy cursed Arjun that all the arrows he shot become flowers before hitting Shiva. Finally, Arjun realised that they are not tribal, they are lord Shiva and Devi Parvathy. Then, Arjun prays to pardon him. Shiva was happy and gave him a magical arrow. But Shiva suffered from his fatal wounds. To remove his fatal wound to, have therapy of Ghee. This is the story behind the idol of Vadakkunnathan temple, which is covered in Ghee.

The Temple was honored with the UNESCO Asian Pacific Award of Excellence for Cultural Heritage Conversation in 2015.

Inside/Outside Views

Sree Vadakkumnathan Temple is surrounded by a stone wall enclosing an area of about 9 acres. The temple has four main gates that are of special significance. The Temple showcases a piece of craftsmanship uniquely built for Gopurams. The East and West Gopuram are used for public entry, and the North and South Gopuram are not open to the public. The inner Temple is separated from the outer Temple by the granite wall. Inside the Temple, there is a garden full of trees and flowers.Sree Vadakkumnathan Temple is a temple theatre which is called koothambalam. The temple theatre is used to stage ancient ritualistic art forms in central Kerala. In the courtyard of the Temple, there is a place to give salutations to Lord Shiva, Nalambalam, Sree Rama, and other deities. The Temple is a large area where you can walk around and enjoy the peasant environment.

Opening Hours

Saturday 4:00 -11:00 AM

5:00 – 8:20 PM

Sunday 4:00 – 11:00 AM

5:00 – 8:20 PM

Monday 4:00 -11:00 AM

5:00 – 8:20 PM

Tuesday 4:00 – 11:00 AM

5:00 – 8:20 PM

Wednesday 4:00 – 11:00 AM

5:00 – 8:20 PM

Thursday 4:00 – 11:00 AM

5:00 – 8:20 PM

Friday 4:00 -11:00 AM

5:00 – 8:20 PM

How to Reach

By Air: Cochin International Airport is the closest Airport, approximately 50 km from Thrissur. From the Airport, you can hire a taxi or bus to reach Thrissur. The Temple is 3 km away from Thrissur. From Thrissur, you can take an auto rickshaw or other local transport to reach the Temple.

By Train: Thrissur Railway Station is the nearest station and is well connected to major cities in India. The Temple is about 3 km away from the station. From the station, you can hire a taxi to get to the Temple.

By Road: Bus services are available from Thrissur to other cities. If you want to be more comfortable, you can take an auto-rickshaw or taxi to reach the Temple.

FAQ

Que-01: Is this place safe to visit?

Ans: Yes. It is absolutely a safe place to visit.

Que-02: Is photography allowed inside the Temple?

Ans: Photography is restricted in certain areas, especially in the sanctum.

Que-03: When is the best time to visit the Sree Vadakkunnathan Temple?

Ans: The Thrissur Pooram Festival is the best time to visit Sree Vadakkunnathan Temple.

Que-04: What do you wear in the Temple?

Ans: The temple dress code is Dhoti and Saree. Men wear traditional dhoti (mundu) without any shirt, and women wear traditional sarees or Salwar Kameez.

Que-05: What is the significance of the Temple?

Ans: The significance of the Temple is that it is the main venue of the Thrissur Pooram festival, and it is the first Temple built by Parashurama.