Shri Padmanabhaswamy Temple
Shri Padmanabhaswamy Temple
The Padmanabhaswamy Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of the state of Kerala, India. It is one of the 108 Divya Desams which are considered the sacred abodes of Vishnu in the Sri Vaishnava tradition.
The name of the city of 'Thiruvananthapuram' in Malayalam and Tamil translates to "The City of Ananta" (Ananta being a form of Vishnu). The temple is built in an intricate fusion of the Kerala style and the Dravidian style of architecture, featuring high walls, and a 16th-century gopuram.
Several extant Hindu texts including the Vishnu Purana,Brahma Purana, Matsya Purana, Varaha Purana, Skanda Purana, Padma Purana,Vayu Purana, Bhagavata Purana and Mahabharata mention the Padmanabhaswamy Temple.
Another version regarding the consecration of the principal idol of the Temple relates to the legendary sage Vilvamangalathu Swamiyar. Swamiyar, who resided near Ananthapuram Temple in Kasaragod District, prayed to Vishnu for his darshan or "auspicious sight".
