Varkala Sree Janardhana Swamy Temple:
Janardhana Swamy Temple at Varkala is one of the most famous and major shrines.Varkala is located in the district of Trivandrum in Kerala state of India.The history of this Janardhana Swamy temple is more than 2000 years . But some inscriptions in the temple indicate that it was restored by the Umayamma queen who ruled the region in the late 17th century. Lord Vishnu is the main deity of Janardhana Swamy temple in Varkala. This idol has four arms, in which you will see the conch shell, the wheel, the mace and the pot. Apart from the main sanctum you can also find painted idols of Shiva, Hanuman and other deities at the entrance of the sanctum sanctorum.
Varkala Sree Janardhana swamy Temple History:
Once when sage Narada was singing, Vishnu was so mesmerised by that song that he followed Narada’s voice and reached Brahmaloka. Seeing Vishnu, Lord Brahma immediately fell on his feet. But Vishnu, realising that he was in the Brahmaloka, did not see Brahma at his feet and immediately left. The devas who came there laughed at the sight of Brahma at Narada’s feet.
Lord Brahma got angry and cursed that the gods would be born as humans and die. Sage Narada asked the gods to do penance on Vishnu in Varkala and regain immortality. This place where they did penance became the temple of Janardana Swamy.
According to legend, the Janardana Swamy temple was built by the gods, but the temple fell into disrepair over time. Later it was built by Pandya king. He is believed to be possessed by an evil spirit. He went on a pilgrimage to get rid of the negative effects of evil spirits. Seeing the remains of this ruined temple on the sea shore, he came across a place called Varkala. He prayed to God and promised to rebuild this temple. The next day in his dream he went to the ocean and asked him to stand near the temple. There he sees a huge number of flowers floating in the sea. If he starts searching there he will find a statue. He did as he was told in his dream and found an idol. He is said to have uncovered the present Janardhana Swamy temple.
There are many other interesting stories and legends about this temple, but this story is the most popular of all.
Festivals at Janardhana Swamy Temple:
Aarattu Utsav is celebrated in the temple in March-April every year. The festival culminates in a flag hoisting commemoration and a procession of richly decorated elephants through the streets. Apart from this, regular festivals in honour of Lord Vishnu like Sri Rama Navami and Vaikuntha Ekadashi are also celebrated here.
This temple is important for ‘Pithru tharpanam'(Pitru Dosha pooja) and a huge number of devotees visit this place to pay homage to their ancestors.
Special Feature of the Temple:
The most interesting feature of this temple is that the idol is holding food in its right hand. Locals believe that his hand is slowly coming towards his mouth, which means that the world will face a great deluge and if he eats the food, the Kali Yuga will end.
About Varkala Beach:
Papanasam Beach (also known as Varkala Beach) which is 10 km from Varkala is famous for its natural spring. It is considered to have medicinal and curative properties. Bathing in the holy waters of this beach is believed to remove impurities and sins from the body and mind, hence it is called Papanasam Beach.
Janardhana Swamy Temple Varkala Timings:
The temple opens from 04.00 am to 12.00 pm and from 5.00 pm to 8.00 pm.
How to Reach Janardhana Swamy Temple Varkala:
Nearest Railway Station: Varkala Railway station is located 3 Kms away from the Temple.
Nearest Airport: Trivandrum International Airport, about 57 Kms away from Varkala.
Janardhana Swamy Temple Location:
Janardhana Swamy Temple
Varkala, Thiruvananthapuram district,
Kerala, 695141, India.
Janardhana Swamy Temple Varkala Images:
