Guruvayur: Tapestry of Tales

Unlike many temple towns, Guruvayur is held together by more than the structure and institution of the temple. It is a town rich in lore and legend, with a tapestry of stories woven into the streets and structures, giving it much to offer to all kinds of travellers. Those who are curious about its history will be drawn to the temple built in 14th century, while others who enjoy stories and mythology will find much of interest in the tales ensconced in the winding roads. There is the story about the elephant besotted with Guruvayurappan, or the tale of the poet who was cured of his ailments as he wrote hymns praising Lord Krishna. The temple itself has myths surrounding its origin, which render it timeless. It is believed that Guru, the Teacher of the Gods, and Vayu, Lord of the Winds, rescued the child-sized idol of Lord Krishna from a flood that submerged Dwarka, where the idol was originally placed. They came upon this area, which had already been sanctified by Lord Shiva, while looking for a holy spot to consecrate the idol. Lord Shiva graciously moved the Mammiyoor Temple, leaving behind what is now known as Guruvayur for Lord Krishna’s idol, now housed at the Guruvayurappan Temple.

Festivities in Guruvayurappan Temple

Saibal Das

As night descends on the town, a thousand oil lamps are lit around the temple, setting the stage for Krishnattam, a dance form preserved in Guruvayur. The dance is based on a story of a Zamorin king who was visited by a vision of Lord Krishna in the temple. This story is recalled in the enactment of Krishna’s birth, a dance so powerful that it is said to move the idol to dance as well.

ORIENTATION

The small town of Guruvayur has mostly developed around the temple. The Inner Ring Road encircles the temple, with lanes leading from the main road to the nadas, or temple entrances. The main entrance is the Kizzhake Nada, to the east, which also has space for parking. The Guruvayur Devaswom Office can be found towards the south of the temple, while the temple tank is on the northern side. Head north along the SH62 to get to the Mammiyoor Temple. The Melpathur Auditorium, Sathram Complex and Kaustubham are off the East Nada Road. All other places of interest, including shrines in the neighbouring towns of Palayur and Chavakkad, the Elephant Camp, and the Mammiyoor Temple, are not far from the centre of the main Guruvayur town.

THINGS TO SEE AND DO

One way to experience Guruvayur is to sign up for DTPC daily Bhakti Marga tours covering all the temples, churches and mosques around Guruvayur and Thrissur.

The Guruvayurappan Temple

Considered the Dwarka of the South, the Guruvayurappan Temple is incredibly active through the day as well as the night. Known for its healing powers, the temple draws a large number of devotees, who make a surprising range of offerings to the idol, including bananas, sugar, jaggery and coconuts. Elaborate ceremonies take place all through the day and evening. Many weddings are conducted at the temple, which sometimes hosts as many as 100 marriages in a day. Other ceremonies, like the annaprasanam ceremony, where little children are fed annam (rice) for the first time, are also held here. Vazhivaads, or special offerings, take place every night at the temple between 10.00pm and 3.00am.

Near the entrance of the sanctum sanctorum is a huge urli (a heavy-bottomed flat and broad bowl) filled with the bright red manjadikuru seeds common in Kerala. As Lord Krishna is known to have been a naughty child, most devotees pray for their children’s well-being, and sometimes ask for help with mischievous children, by taking the seeds from the urli and plunging them back thrice. A walk around the inner compound of the temple reveals its impressive architectural facets: the 23-foot high deepasthambam, or pillar of lamps, the chuttu villakus gleaming dully in their niches by day and glowing brightly when lit at night, the red-tiled koothambalam where folk dances are performed on festival days, and the elaborate shrines of Ganapathy, Ayappan and the Edathedattu Kavil Bhagvathy. The mural paintings around the sreekovil, or the sanctum sanctorum, depict the life of Lord Krishna and scenes from the Puranas, which are important texts in the Hindu tradition. The ceiling of the eastern gate is also painted intricately.

The Guruvayurappan Temple has been an important pilgrimage spot since the 16th century, when the temple was periodically renovated by the Zamorin of Calicut. Although it was raided by the Dutch, Haider Ali as well as Tipu Sultan, it was lovingly put back together each time. In 1970, most of the temple, other than the sreekovil, the flagstaff and a few shrines, was destroyed in a fire. Renovation work was carried out while keeping in mind the history of the temple. As a result, though granite pillars were installed in the porch to replace the original wooden ones, two wooden pillars have been left untouched. It was here, under these pillars, that the 16th century poet Narayana Bhattathiri sat and wrote the Narayaneeyam, a masterpiece that is now an integral part of Malayali literature that is said to have healed the poet’s rheumatism as he wrote it.

Timings 3.00am–1.30pm & 3.30– 9.00pm Tel 0487-2556335

TIP Only Hindus may enter, men must be bare-chested and wear a mundu, women must wear a sari; footwear, video cameras, cell phones and transmitters are not allowed

Festivals

One of the many festivals celebrated in the Guruvayur Temple is Ekadasi, celebrated in the Mandala season (November–December) where an elephant procession is organised to honour Guruvayur Kesavan, an elephant gifted to the temple by the King of Nilambur. The Seevelis are also held at this time, wherein caparisoned elephants carry the idol around the temple five times. This season also witnesses the 12-day Chembai Music Festival. During Utsavam, the annual festival of the temple is held in February–March, an elephant race is organised, offering an enjoyable sight even though the winner is decided prior to the actual race.

Devaswom Activities

The Guruvayur Devaswom is a committed and dedicated organisation responsible for maintaining the temple, organising cultural performances, and running two schools: the Vadyam Vidyalaya, where students learn to play traditional temple instruments, and an institute of mural painting at the Kizhakke Nada (east entrance). Their library is well-stocked with religious texts, and their museum, in the office precincts, exhibits rare offerings made by devotees. The Guruvayur Devaswom promotes Krishnattam, an art form that is almost exclusive to Guruvayur, wherein eight popular fables from the life of Krishna are enacted.

Mammiyoor Temple

After making room for the child Lord Krishna, Lord Shiva is said to have moved to this temple, less than a kilometre away from the main Guruvayurappan Temple. A visit to Guruvayur is not complete without visiting the Mammiyoor Temple. The temple houses some beautiful murals.

Timings 4.00am–12.30pm, 4.45– 8.30pm; Puja Timings 8.30am, 12.00pm and 8.00pm

TIP Only Hindus may enter, men must be bare-chested and wear a mundu, women must wear a sari

Palayur Church

Palayur Church

The church at Palayur lies about 2.5km to the southwest of the main Guruvayurappan complex, and can be reached via Muthuvattoor by taking the Guruvayur and Palayur roads. This church is believed to have been founded by St. Thomas the Apostle, who arrived at Kodungallur, not far from Palayur, in 52 CE. The Palayur Church is the oldest of the seven churches that he founded, making it also the oldest church in India. This stark, austere structure houses a silver statue of St. Thomas on the roof and several stone villakus. A novena and mass in honour of St. Thomas are held every Tuesday. The big museum opposite the church also houses a boat moored in the pond to commemorate the arrival of the Apostle at Palayur. Behind the church is located the Thaliyurkulam pond, where the first Christians are believed to have been baptised.

Timings 9.00–11.00am & 4.00– 6.00pm

Chavakkad Beach

The Chavakkad Beach lies bare and inviting, unencumbered by shacks, hotels and food stalls. A charming 100-ft high Chetwai Lighthouse is located on this beach, and offers a panoramic view of the grey sea and coconut plantations to those who are willing to brave the 145 steps leading to the top.

Entry ₹5 Timings 10.00am–1.00pm & 3.00–5.00pm

Further along the beach, adjacent to the stark, whitewashed Manathala Mosque is the dargah of Haidar Ali’s commander, Hydrose Kutty. Disgusted with his master’s oppression, the army commander is said to have revolted against Haidar Ali. Because of its association with Hydrose Kutty, Chavakkad is also called Kuttingal.

WHERE TO STAY

Guruvayur has quite a few hotels. Sopanam Heritage (Tel: 04872555244/ 542; Tariff: ₹1,200–3,000) is located opposite the private bus stand on East Nada. The hotel offers 57 rooms, six suites, a specialty vegetarian restaurant, a swimming pool and sightseeing tours. Hotel Devaragam (Tel: 2560201-03; Tariff: ₹3,600–6,500) in East Nada has great ambience and is close to the temple. It offers 35 clean rooms and Internet. The restaurant offers good vegetarian fare.

Other good options are Hotel Kanoos Residency (Tel: 2551800, Cell: 09400374480; Tariff: ₹2,900– 9,800) with a restaurant, health club and Internet; and Krishna Inn (Tel: 2550777, Cell: 09497333777; Tariff: ₹3,750–8,500) with a restaurant and a coffee shop. Hotel Sree Gokulam Vanamala (Tel: 2555503, Cell: 09946113484; Tariff: ₹1,500–3,900), earlier called Vanamala Kusumam, is next to the Guruvayur Kesavan statue on South Nada. It has 32 rooms, a vegetarian restaurant and a travel desk as well. Bhasuri Inn (Tel: 2558855/ 88, Cell: 08589989454; Tariff: ₹1,400–6,000) on East Nada is among the best mid-range options, and has 54 rooms. Rvee’s Regency (Tel: 2552222, 2554444; Tariff: ₹900–3,500, dorm bed Rs. 300) near Balakrishna Theatre on East Nada has 36 rooms and a travel desk as well. KTDC’s Hotel Nandanam (Tel: 2556266-67; Tariff: ₹990–1,500) in East Nada and the Govindam Residency (Tel: 2552540/ 42, Cell: 09495435502; Tariff: ₹900–1,400) in West Nada are good budget hotels situated close to the temple.

Rubber plantation near Porkalangad

Just an hour’s drive from Chavakkad on NH17 is Rajah’s Island (Tel: 2532352; Tariff: ₹23,300–61,250 per person, inclusive of meals and treatments for three days), is a good option. Visitors should get to the resort by boat. Zamorin’s Ayurvedic Health Retreat (Tel: 04885-222349, Cell: 09846068950; Tariff: ₹4,000) is at Porkalangad, 8km from Guruvayur.

WHERE TO EAT

Guruvayur has a number of restaurants, coffee houses and eateries, which serve simple and delicious food in clean surroundings. Most restaurants here offer vegetarian food only. The most popular of these is the India Coffee House on East Nada, which serves vegetarian Keralite meals at modest prices. Food is served at reasonable rates at restaurants such as Ganapathy Bhavan, Kaustubham, Theertham and Thulasi, as well as at the restaurant at KTDC’s Nandanam Hotel. For a more luxurious dining experience, head to Hotel Devaragam’s Sapthaswaram Restaurant on East Nada.

Pachyderm Paradise

Elephants are an integral part of temple life at Guruvayur. Some of these behemoths, such as Guruvayur Kesavan who was gifted to the temple by the King of Nilambur, are also part of local folklore. Kesavan, for example, is known for his devotion to Lord Krishna and sometimes called the ‘King of Elephants’. He has also featured prominently in many films.

The Guruvaur Devaswom Board’s Punathoor Kota Elephant Sanctuary houses 63 elephants, some in the service of the temple and others for popular Malayalam film stars and politicians. At this sanctuary, elephants can be found lying in the sun, bathing contentedly in the pond, having their nails cut and ears scrubbed, and occasionally dancing. They will also happily accept bananas from travellers, so it may be advisable to come well-equipped!

Many warnings have been posted all over to ward off those who would trade in elephant hair, called aanaval. Elephant tufts are often worn as a talisman to ward off evil. The posters invoke the Indian law as well as the deep displeasure of Guruvayurappan, who would have been displeased at such treatment of elephants. Even so, many guides around the sanctuary offer these to travellers surreptitiously.

Location 3km from Guruvayur Temple Entry Rs. 5 Timings 8:00am–5:00pm