Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple

Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple is hard to miss as one can see the yellow seven-tiered Gopuram from all around. A specific timeline is hard to attach to the ancient Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Trivandrum. It is said to be more than thousand years old. It is said that references of the old temple have been found in Hindu epics. Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple is a significant emblem of the city’s landscape and also gave Trivandrum is name. Thiruvananthapuram (‘Thiru’ ‘Anantha’ ‘Puram’ means sacred abode of Lord Anantha Padmanabha) is the way that the city’s name was derived. One cannot escape the long queues for a darshan of the sleeping deity, no matter what time of the day you go. The sanctum is divided into three parts and houses the sleeping deity of Lord Vishnu. Only Hindus can enter the premises from the East Gate. Men have to be bare-chested and women have to wear a sari. The sari clause can be overcome by tying a mund or a dhoti around the waist, which are amply available in shops that line the road, leading to the temple. This road also houses a museum, on the walls of which a Methan Mani clock is placed high on the outer wall. Hourly, a demon-faced man’s cheeks are hit by goats on either side till the bell rings.