Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple Trivandrum: Timings, Entry Fee, & Informations

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Last Updated:December 27, 2023

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Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple is one of the most important temples in the Hindu religion. Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple is also known as the Sree Anantha Padmanabhaswamy Temple. It is dedicated to Lord Anantha, an avatar of Lord Vishnu.

The temple is located in Thiruvananthapuram. Thiruvananthapuram means ‘The land of Lord Anantha’. Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple is one of the most 108 holy temples of Lord Vishnu. It is one of the richest temples in the world. The hidden treasure located in the temple has amazed people from time to time. 

Know more about the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple with the help of 99Pandit. 

About Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple 

Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple is one of the most important temples in the Hindu religion. The architecture of the temple is an amalgam of Dravidian style and Kerala style. A 100 feet tall gopuram is located at the entrance of the temple. A eighteen feet idol of the principal deity lying in the Ananthasayanam posture on Adi Shesha is located in the main shrine of the temple. 

The devotees do not know the date of foundation of the Sree Padmanabhswamy temple. As per the beliefs of the devotees, the temple was established 5000 years ago. The temple records written on palm leaves mention that sage Vilwamangalam founded the Sree Anantha Padmanabhswamy Temple.

Sage Vilwamangalam performed rituals at the Kasargod Padmanabhaswamy temple also known as the Ananthapura lake temple. It is said that Sree Anantha Padmanabhaswamy’s original seat (Moolsthanam) is the temple.

Legend About Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple 

Lord Vishnu appeared as an orphan kid before Sage Vilwamangalam. The sage felt pity on the kid and allowed him to stay at the temple. He helped sage Vilwamangalam in the daily activities of the temple. One day Sage Vilwamangalam treated the boy harshly. 

The boy ran towards the forest. Sage Vilwamangalam realized that the boy was Lord Vishnu himself. He went to find him and followed him inside a cave. This led to the founding of present day Thiruvananthapuram. The boy disappeared inside a mahua tree. The tree fell and took the form of Lord Vishnu lying on AdiShesha (thousand hooded serpent).

 The size of Lord Vishnu in the Ananthasayanam posture was more than eight miles. Sage Vilwamangalam requested the Lord to consider taking a smaller size. Lord Vishnu took a smaller size but sage Vilwamangalam still could not see him completely. 

Trees were obstructing the view. Sage Vilwamangalam could see Lord Vishnu in three parts – the face part, the stomach part, and the feet part. The doors of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple in Trivandrum show the idol in the same way as the sage Vilwamangalam saw Lord Vishnu. 

History of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple 

The exact date of construction of Sree Padmanabhswamy temple is not known. The earliest mention of the temple is from the 9th century. The roof of the sanctum sanctorum of the temple was repaired in the fifteenth century. 

The Ottakkal mandapam in the Sree Padmanabhswamy temple was built during the same time. During the middle of the seventeenth century, King Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma helped in performing major renovations in the temple. 

Later, the sanctum sanctorum of the temple was reconstructed. The old idol of the temple was replaced by a statue made with 12008 shaligram stones and various herbs collectively called Katu – sharkara. Work of the statue of the temple was completed in 1739. A stone corridor, gate, and flagstaff were also built. He dedicated his kingdom to Lord Sree Padmanabhaswamy in the year 1750.  

King Karthika Thirunal Rama Varma built the pillared outdoor hall of the temple known as Karthika Mandapam in 1758. During the time of Queen Gowri Parvathi Bayi, artists drew the Anantha Shayan mural inside the temple in the year 1820.

A major event in the history of Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple was noted in the year 1936 during the reign of Chithira Thirunal Rama Varma. He allowed every Hindu caste in the temple. This was called Kshetra Pravesham Vilambram.  

Timing 

Sree Padmanabhswamy Temple is one of the most important temples in the Hindu religion. Timings for visiting the Sree Padmanabhswamy temple are listed.  

The Sree Padmanabhswamy temple lists morning darshan timings.

• 3:15 AM to 4:15 AM 
• 6:30 AM to 7:00 AM 
• 8:30 AM to 10:00 AM 
• 10:30 AM to 11:10 AM 
• 11:45 AM to 12 Noon 

The Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple lists the evening darshan timings.

• 5:00 PM to 6:15 PM 
• 6:45 PM to 7:20 PM 

Entry Fee and Puja Cost

Sree Padmanabhswamy temple is one of the most important temples in the Hindu religion. Entry in the temple is free for the devotees. They need to pay fee for special darshan. Devotees have to pay 150 rupees for special darshan without prasadam and 180 rupees with prasadam. 

Devotees can purchase special Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple darshan tickets at the ticket counter. They can skip long queues by purchasing the darshan tickets from the counter. The cost of entry of two people is 250 rupees along with the puja thali. Kids can enter the temple for free.  

Devotees can take part in special puja rituals performed in the temple complex by booking a seat in advance. Perform Nirmalayam to Deeparadhana from 3:30 Am to 4:45 Am. Temple price it at 3000 Rupees. 

The temple performs Nirmalyam to Usha Puja from 3:30 am to 5:30 am and prices it at 4000 Rupees. The Pandits perform Nirmalyam to Pantheeradi Puja from 3:30 Am to 6 Am, and the price is 5000 rupees. Additionally, Nirmalyam to Ucha Puja is performed for half a day. It can be booked with a payment of 12000 rupees. 

Devotees can also purchase offerings like aravana, payasam, and unniyappam. They can offer these offerings to Sree Padmanabhaswamy, Sree Narsimhaswamy, Shri Krishna Swamy, and other deities in the temple complex. 

Dress Code 

The dress code for Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple includes Dhoti/Mundu for men. They have to wrap the dhoti in the lower half of the body. The upper half of the body can be kept bare. Devotees usually cover the upper half of the body with angavastram (shawl). Young boys have to follow the same dress code as men. 

Women can wear a Saree/Pavada/Dhoti along with a blouse to the temple comlex. They can also wear a t-shirt along with a long Skirt/Lehenga. The same rules apply to young girls. Devotees can wrap dhoti over Jeans/Pants/Salwars to match with the dress code. 

Shrines inside Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple 

Devotees regard Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple as Maha – kshetram (Great Temple) because of the historical importance and spiritual significance of the temple. 

Sree Padmanabhaswamy Shrine

The eighteen foot katu – sharkara idol of Lord Padmanabhswamy resting on Adi Shesha serpent is located inside the main shrine. The idol is composed of 12008 shaligrams. People view it through the three doors of the sanctum. 

Devotees can the face and upper body of the deity through the first door. The right hand of the deity rests on a Shiva lingam. The idols of Devi Lakshmi and Devi Bhumi surround the idol of Sree Padmanabhaswamy.

The presence of Lord Shiva inside the sanctum sanctorum  adds to the sanctity of the Padmanabhaswamy temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Artists painted images of Lord Shiva on the walls and other parts of the temple.  

The second door of the Sree Pandmanabhaswamy temple provides a glimpse of Lord Brahma emerging from the naval of the Anantha Padnabhaswamy deity. Devotees can see the feet of the deity from the third door of the temple. 

Lord Ganesh Shrine 

The temple complex has a shrine dedicated to Lord Ganesh. Devotees worship Lord Ganesh in the form of elephant God. Devotees worship Lord Ganesh before performing any important ritual. 

Lord Narsimha Shrine 

The temple complex has shrines of other deities also. There is one shrine dedicated to Lord Narsimha. Lord Narsimha is part Lion and part man avatar of Lord Vishnu.  

Lord Krishna Shrine 

The temple complex has a shrine dedicated to Lord Krishna. An important shrine is built in the honour of Parthasarthi. Lord Krishna in the form of role of charioteer of Arjun is known as Parthasarthi. Lord Krishna is an avatar of Lord Vishnu. 

Ram Shrine 

The temple complex has a shrine dedicated to Lord Ram. Lord Ram is accompanied by Devi Sita, Lord Ram’s brother Lakshman, and Lord Hanuman. 

Thiruvambadi Sree Krishnaswamy Temple 

The temple premises of Sree Padmanabhswamy temple has a separate Thiruvambadi Krishnaswamy temple. This temple has a separate flag-staff. Separate rituals and rites are performed in this temple.  

Important Attractions within Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple

In addition to the shrines within the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple complex, there are other attractions also within the temple complex. 

Kulasekhara Mandapam

The structure of Kulasekhara Mandapam is an architectural marvel present within the temple complex. Builders built it with stone and supported it with 28 pillars. These pillars produce musical notes when someone taps them. People also know this mandapam as Sapthaswara mandapam or Aayiramkaal mandapam. 

Abhisravana Mandapam 

It is a stone structure present in the temple complex. It is present in front of the Ottakkal mandapam. Devotees use this mandapam to meditate and pray to the Lord. Special pujas use it during festivals celebrated in the temple.

Dhwaja Stambham 

The dhwaja stambham is a 80 feet high staff present in the temple complex. It is present near the Eastern corridor. Craftsmen made this stambham from teak wood and covered it with gold foil. The top part of the dhwaja stambham has a figure of Garuda swamy in kneeling posture. Garud swamy is the vehicle of Lord anantha Sree Padmanabhaswamy. 

The architects built Sreebalippura, a magnificent corridor made up of stone. Monolith pillars are present on this corridor. The Sreebali procession takes through the Sreebalippura corridor during the festivals of Painkuni and Alpasi.

Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple Pond 

It is one of the most sacred ponds in Trivandrum. Padmatheertham pond is present in the eastern side of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple. Eight mandapams of the temple complex are present in the Padmatheertham pond. 

Important Information 

Time Required to Visit Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple 

Devotees need about 2-3 hours to get the darshan of Sree Padmanabhaswamy and other deities in the temple. If they purchase special darshan tickets, they can get past long queues in less time. 

Best Time to Visit Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple 

Winter season, October to February, is the best time to visit Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple. The temperature is pleasant to spend some hours at the temple. It is too humid during the summer and monsoon months for a comfortable visit to the temple.

Final Glimpse 

Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple is one of the most important temples in India. It is located in Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram) in the state of Kerala. The temple is also known as maha khsetram. 

The temple dedicates the main shrine to Sree Anantha Padmanabhaswamy. There are other shrines also present in the temple complex. Entry inside the temple is free. Devotees have to pay charges for special darshan. 

Devotees can also perform pujas and rituals by booking their seat by making a payment. The best time to visit Sree Padnabhaswamy temple is in the winter months.   

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