Vishnu Purana + Brahma Purana + Matsya Purana + Bhagavata Purana
Stutis of Ananta-shayana Vishnu; description of the Ananta-Padmanabha dhama
Thiruvananthapuram · Kerala
Sree
Sree (Anantha) Padmanabhaswamy Temple — West Nada, East Fort, Pazhavangadi, Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), Kerala
Sri Anantha-Padmanabhaswamy — the world's richest Hindu temple; the principal royal deity of the Travancore dynasty; one of the 108 Divya Desams; Vishnu in Anantha-shayana; the 18-foot idol built of 12,008 Saligrama shilas + Katu-Sarkara-Yogam Ayurvedic paste — world-unique
अन्य नाम: Padmanabhaswamy · Anantha-Padmanabha · Sree Padmanabha · Trivandrum Padmanabhaswamy
- One of the 108 Divya Desams
- The world's richest Hindu temple
- Vault B
- The principal royal deity of the T…
इस मन्दिर की विशेषता
- One of the 108 Divya Desams (with Alvar-sung Mangalasasanam)
- The world's richest Hindu temple — 6 known vaults A, B, C, D, E, F; in 2011, 5 (A, C, D, E, F) were opened on Supreme Court order; estimated total value ~Rs.1 lakh crore / ~$22 billion
- Vault B (Bharatamala) — never opened in modern times (no documented opening since the 1880s); sealed with Naga-Bandhanam (tantric serpent-bond); in 2020 the SC declined to open it citing religious sentiment
- The principal royal deity of the Travancore dynasty — on 5 Makaram 925 ME (17 January 1750) Marthanda Varma performed Thrippadi-Danam (surrendering the entire kingdom); from then onward all Travancore kings bore the title 'Sri Padmanabhadasa' (servant of Padmanabha)
- Three-door darshan — the single idol is viewed through 3 separate doors: (1) face/Shiva Linga, (2) navel/Brahma, (3) feet — world-unique
- Only Hindus are permitted; non-Hindus may enter only by signing an affidavit declaring faith in Hinduism (rare)
01
मूल विग्रह
मुख्य देव एवं स्वरूप
Sri Anantha-Padmanabhaswamy — Mahavishnu in Anantha-shayana (yogic sleep) reclining on the five-hooded serpent Adishesha/Ananta; the 18-foot idol; a lotus rising from the navel bears Brahma seated upon it; the right hand rests over a Shiva Linga; flanked by Sridevi (Lakshmi) and Bhudevi; sages Bhrigu and Markandeya stand within the Katu-Sarkara-Yogam-formed sanctum
Made from 12,008 Saligrama shilas (brought from the Gandaki river, Nepal) + bound and coated with Katu-Sarkara-Yogam (~108 Ayurvedic ingredients: medicinal herbs, jaggery/sugar, sand, binders) — a world-unique construction; abhishekam on the mula vigraha is forbidden (to preserve the Katu-Sarkara-Yogam); flowers are removed with a peacock feather (to avoid damaging the shila); the present reconsecration was in 906 ME / 1731 CE under Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma
सम्प्रदाय: Vaishnava — Sri Vaishnava tradition (a Kerala-specific form); Travancore-royal-dynasty diksha; the Padmanabhadasa tradition (kings rule as servants of the deity); only Hindus are permitted; strict traditional dress code
02
स्थल-पुराण
कथा, इतिहास एवं महत्व
Divya Prabandham (Nalayira Divya Prabandham)
Mangalasasanam among the 108 Divya Desams; sung in Alvar pasurams
Vilvamangalathu Swami narrative (the originating sthala-purana)
Sage Vilvamangalathu Swamiyar prayed for Vishnu's darshan; the Lord came as a mischievous boy and defiled the puja vigraha; rebuked, the boy disappeared saying 'find me in Anantankadu'; the sage heard a Pulaya woman scolding her child with 'Anantankadu', followed her and saw the boy merge into an Iluppa (Indian butter) tree; the falling tree took the form of Ananta-shayana Vishnu; the first naivedya, of rice-kanji and uppumanga (salted mango) in a coconut shell by the Pulaya woman, is offered to this day
Ananthapura-Kasaragod moolasthanam narrative
Anantha-Padmanabha first manifested at the Ananthapura Lake Temple in Kasaragod district (the only lake-temple in Kerala; 9th century; the idol is in seated posture); Thiruvananthapuram is the principal abode of the Ananta-shayana form
संत एवं परम्परा
- Sage Vilvamangalathu Swamiyar — the originating darshan-rishi; the first manifestation narrative
- Sage Bhrigu + Sage Markandeya — formed in Katu-Sarkara-Yogam within the sanctum
- Alvar saints — the Divya Prabandham Mangalasasanam
- Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma (Travancore Maharaja; born 1706; reigned 1729-1758) — the 1731 reconsecration + brought 12,008 Saligrama shilas from Nepal + the Katu-Sarkara-Yogam construction + the 1750 Thrippadi-Danam; the founder of the 6-yearly Murajapam + Laksha Deepam tradition
- The Travancore royal dynasty — the 'Sri Padmanabhadasa'-titled lineage (1750-present)
- The Pulaya woman (an Adivasi) — the first naivedya narrative
ऐतिहासिक घटनाक्रम
- 1566The 7-tier Pandya-style east gopuram was begun; ~100 feet (~30 m); carved with dasavatara; 7 golden domes — Wikipedia + Kerala Tourism
- 1731906 ME — Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma reconsecrated the deity; 12,008 Saligrama shilas brought from the Gandaki river in Nepal + the Katu-Sarkara-Yogam construction; the Ottakkal Mandapam, a single granite slab 20 sq ft × 2.5 ft thick, was installed — Wikipedia + spst.in official + Kirtankar multi-source
- 175017 January 1750 (5 Makaram 925 ME) — Marthanda Varma's Thrippadi-Danam: the entire Travancore kingdom was surrendered to Padmanabha; the king surrendered his sword and received it back as trustee; every subsequent ruler bore the title 'Sri Padmanabhadasa'; the Murajapam tradition was instituted (a 56-day Vedic chanting in 7 muras of 8 days, every 6 years) — HinduPost + Wikipedia Marthanda Varma multi-source
- 1880The last documented opening of Vault B (in the 1880s decade); no opening since — LiveHistoryIndia + EDTimes
- 2011The Supreme Court-appointed committee opened 5 of 6 vaults (A, C, D, E, F); Vault A had the largest haul (~102,000 groups of objects); a 4-ft diamond-studded gold Mahavishnu, an 18-ft gold chain, ~800 kg of medieval coins and Roman coins were recovered; the estimated total value was ~Rs.1 lakh crore / ~$22 billion — Wikipedia Padmanabhaswamy Temple Treasure + LiveHistoryIndia multi-source
- 2011The Vault B opening attempt was halted by an injunction sought by the Travancore royal family after the Ashtamangala Devaprasnam consultation — Wikipedia Treasure
- 202013 July 2020 — the Supreme Court affirmed the Travancore royal family's hereditary 'Shebait' rights under the 1949 Covenant; day-to-day administration via an Executive Officer + 3-member Advisory Committee (all Hindus) under the Travancore-Cochin Hindu Religious Institutions Act ss. 18-23; a separate committee oversees the vaults; expenditure above Rs.15 lakh/month or Rs.1 crore one-time requires the Ruler's prior approval; the SC declined to open Vault B citing religious sentiment — NUS-ISAS + Wikipedia + LiveHistoryIndia multi-source
- 2026January 2026 — the most recent Laksha Deepam (Bhadra Deepam) celebration; the conclusion of the 6-yearly 56-day Murajapam; 1 lakh oil lamps lit across the temple — Cultural Heritage of India + Kerala Tourism
03
नित्य उपासना
दर्शन समय एवं आरती
03:30 से 21:00 तक
Nirmalya Darshan03:30-04:45
Special Darshan06:30-07:00
General Darshan (morning)08:30-10:00
Midday Darshan11:45-12:00
Evening Darshan17:00-18:15
Extended Evening Darshan18:45-19:20
VIP Darshan20:30-21:00
विशेष नियम: Only Hindus permitted (strict); non-Hindus may enter only by signing an affidavit; the traditional dress code is strict — men: mundu/dhoti below the waist, bare-chested (angavastram optional), no shirt or pants (dhoti hire available at the entrance); women: saree, mundum-neriyathum, half-saree, or skirt-blouse (salwar must be wrapped with a dhoti); abhishekam on the mula vigraha is forbidden (to preserve the Katu-Sarkara-Yogam); photography forbidden in the garbhagriha
04
दर्शन
दर्शन के प्रकार
General Free Darshan (three-door darshan)निःशुल्क
From the Ottakkal Mandapam, the single idol is viewed through 3 separate doors: face-Shiva-Linga + navel-Brahma + feet — world-unique.
Special Darshan₹150
Rs.150 (without prasadam) / Rs.180 (with prasadam); 06:30-07:00.
VIP Darshan (two persons)₹250
Rs.250 for two; 20:30-21:00.
Nirmalya Darshan (morning 03:30)निःशुल्क
Brahma-muhurta pre-puja darshan.
Thrippadi-Danam darshan sankalpa (the Travancore royal tradition)
A remembrance of the 1750 Thrippadi-Danam; a kingdom-surrender sankalpa tirtha.
365¼ Sreebalippura pillar-corridor pradakshina
365¼ monolithic carved granite pillars (one per day of the solar year); a pillar-count pradakshina.
Kulasekhara Mandapam Saptaswara pillars
28 stone pillars producing the 7 musical notes when tapped.
05
उत्सव
प्रमुख पर्व एवं उत्सव
Painkuni Utsavam (10-day)Tamil Panguni / Malayalam Meenam (March-April)
10 days; fibreglass effigies of the Pandavas are erected at the east entrance; Pallivetta (royal hunt) on day 9; concludes with the Arattu procession to Shankhumukham Beach for the ritual sea-bath of the utsava-murtis; 1001 maroons fired at the western gate.
Alpashy Utsavam (10-day)Tamil Aippasi / Malayalam Thulam (October-November)
10 days; rituals identical to Painkuni; same Shankhumukham Arattu sea-bath conclusion.
Arattu procession (Painkuni + Alpashy conclusion)Festival closing day
The Maharaja of Travancore leads the procession on foot, sword in hand; caparisoned elephants; Padmanabha's vahanam is gold, the others silver.
Murajapam (56-day Veda parayan; every 6 years)7 muras × 8 days
Founded by Marthanda Varma in 1750; Rig-Yajur-Sama Veda parayan; once every 6 years; concludes as Laksha Deepam on Makara Sankranti.
Laksha Deepam (Bhadra Deepam; every 6 years)Makara Sankranti (the day Murajapam concludes)
Conclusion of Murajapam; 1 lakh oil lamps lit across the temple complex; every 6 years; most recent January 2026; next ~January 2032.
NavaratriAshwin Shukla 1-9
Navaratri celebrations.
06
आस्था
मनोकामना एवं फल
The only temple in the world where a single idol is viewed through 3 separate doors; a unique sankalpa for a complete Vishnu darshan (face-navel-feet)
स्रोत: Britannica + Wikipedia + East Indian Traveller multi-source
Marthanda Varma's complete kingdom-surrender archetype; a tirtha for a sankalpa of complete self-surrender to the Lord; a Padmanabhadasa diksha
स्रोत: HinduPost + Wikipedia Marthanda Varma
Darshan of a world-unique idol built of 12,008 Saligrama shilas brought from the Gandaki in Nepal and bound with Katu-Sarkara-Yogam
स्रोत: spst.in official + Wikipedia + Kirtankar multi-source
The world's richest Hindu temple with ~$22 billion in treasure; 5 of 6 vaults opened; a sankalpa for the all-prosperity tirtha of the Lord
स्रोत: Wikipedia Treasure + LiveHistoryIndia
The world's only un-openable vault; sealed with Naga-Bandhanam; openable only by a siddha-yogi chanting the Garuda mantra; a sankalpa to witness a tantric mystery
स्रोत: EDTimes + LiveHistoryIndia
Once every 6 years; 1 lakh oil lamps lit; the concluding day of the 56-day Murajapam Veda parayan; a singular tirtha experience
स्रोत: Cultural Heritage of India + Kerala Tourism
365¼ monolithic pillars — one for each day of the solar year; a kala-chakra (time-cycle) sankalpa tirtha
स्रोत: Kerala Tourism + Wikipedia
07
जप
मन्त्र एवं स्तोत्र
- Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya (Dvadashakshara mantra)
- Om Namo Narayanaya (Ashtakshara)
- Vishnu Sahasranama Stotra
- Nalayira Divya Prabandham pasuram chantingRecital of the Divya Desam Mangalasasanam pasurams
- Murajapam — 56-day Veda parayan (Rig + Yajur + Sama)7 muras × 8 days = 56 days; performed every 6 years; concludes on Makara Sankranti as Laksha Deepam
- Ananta-Padmanabha Ashtakam
08
तीर्थाटन
समीप के तीर्थ एवं परिपथ
Shankhumukham Beach (Arattu sea-bath site)8 किमी
The sea-bath site of the Arattu procession during the Painkuni and Alpashy Utsavams; ritual sea-bath of the utsava-murtis
Padmanabhapuram Palace (Tamil Nadu)55 किमी
The 16th-century capital palace of the Travancore dynasty; the largest wooden palace in India; the historical centre of the Padmanabha-royal lineage
Kulasekhara Mandapam Saptaswara pillars (temple complex)100 मी
28 stone pillars producing the 7 musical notes when tapped
Sreebalippura 365¼-pillar corridor100 मी
365¼ monolithic carved granite pillars; one for each day of the solar year
Ananthapura Lake Temple (moolasthanam, Kasaragod)580 किमी
The first manifestation site of Anantha-Padmanabha; the only lake-temple in Kerala; 9th century; the idol is in seated posture
Kovalam Beach16 किमी
World-famous beach; a tirtha-tourism combination
Attukal Bhagavathy Temple2 किमी
Holds the largest women-pilgrim congregation in the world (Attukal Pongala); Guinness Records-listed
Included in the Kerala-Divya-Desam cluster; sung in Alvar Mangalasasanam
108 मंदिर
Anantha-Padmanabhaswamy (the principal tirtha) + Padmanabhapuram Palace (the capital palace) + Ananthapura Lake Temple (the moolasthanam in Kasaragod) — a three-fold combination
3 मंदिर
Padmanabhaswamy + Attukal Bhagavathy + Shankhumukham Beach + Kovalam — a single-day combination
4 मंदिर
09
मार्गदर्शन
यात्रा एवं संपर्क
- पता
- Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, West Nada, East Fort, Pazhavangadi, Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), Kerala — PIN 695023
- हवाई अड्डा
- Thiruvananthapuram International Airport (TRV) — ~5 km; drive 10-25 minutes
- रेलवे
- Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway Station (TVC) — ~1.5-2 km; Thiruvananthapuram Pettah (TVP) — alternative
- बस-स्टैण्ड
- Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) Central Bus Stand Thiruvananthapuram — ~1-2 km; East Fort bus stop near the temple
- उत्तम ऋतु
- October-February has the best weather; Painkuni Utsavam March-April; Alpashy Utsavam October-November; the most recent Laksha Deepam was January 2026 (next ~January 2032); monsoon June-August (Kerala-specific)
- वेबसाइट
- https://spst.in ↗
2 किमीThiruvananthapuram
5 किमीTrivandrum Airport
16 किमीKovalam Beach
55 किमीPadmanabhapuram Palace
70 किमीKollam
580 किमीAnanthapura Lake Temple
200 किमीKochi
88 किमीKanyakumari
740 किमीBangalore
715 किमीChennai