Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Trivandrum

Deity

Lord Vishnu as Padmanabha

Timings

3:30 AM to 12 noon; 5 to 6:15 PM; 6:45 to 7:20 PM

Entry

Hindus only

Dress code

Mundu for men, saree for women

Nearest railway station

Thiruvananthapuram Central (about 1 km)

Nearest airport

Thiruvananthapuram (about 5 km)

Best time

Late November to February

What to see

The main idol is about 18 feet long and lies on a stone platform, so it is seen in parts through three doors: the face and chest through the first, the hands through the second and the feet through the third. It is made up of 12,008 saligrama stones brought from the Gandaki river in Nepal.

Inside the complex, the Bali Peeda Mandapam and Mukha Mandapam carry detailed carvings of many deities, and the ceiling of the Navagraha Mandapam shows the nine planets. Below the main eastern gateway is the Nataka Sala, where Kathakali is staged during the two ten-day temple festivals held each year in Meenam and Thulam.

The temple treasure

The temple's wealth is held to belong to the deity and is managed by a trust associated with the former royal family. Six vaults, or kallaras, hold centuries of offerings, tribute and royal gifts, and most have stayed sealed for long periods.

Timings and dress code

Darshan is from 3:30 AM to 12 noon, and in the evening in two slots, 5 to 6:15 and then 6:45 to 7:20. Men must wear a mundu or dhoti, with or without an upper cloth, and no shirt. Women should wear a saree or half saree. Jeans, shorts and short skirts are not allowed; mundus can usually be hired near the entrance.

Best time and how to reach

Late November to February is the most comfortable season. Thiruvananthapuram Central station and the Thampanoor bus stand are both about a kilometre away, and the airport is roughly 5 km. Nearby you can visit Kuthira Malika (Puthen Malika) Palace Museum, the Napier Museum with Raja Ravi Varma paintings, Shanghumugham Beach with its Jalakanyaka sculpture, and Kovalam Beach about 10 km south.

Also nearby