Our trip to Kerala -Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple

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HARI

AUM

Sub:

How the Architects were rewarded for their marvelous works after the completion

of Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple

and Taj Mahal?Thank

you Sri Kasthuri Rangan for referring to this wonderful book – I am reminded of

some satisfying moments. I had purchased

this book years back and had read it with great interest. The author being a

great Bhakta and scholar herself and a member of the Travancore Palace

(niece of the late Raja Pramukh Sri Chithira Thirunal) had ready access to all

the available sources of information - records and scholars on the topic and

hence this book is perhaps the most authentic work on the topic.

Though

I had visited Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple

many times earlier while I was in Trivandrum, after

reading this book, during one of my Kerala visits from Bombay I made a pre-arranged visit to this

temple to see in detail many interesting things described in the book. The temple authorities had provided a good

guide too to explain the details. It was

a very memorable experience.

Apart

from all Bhakti related things what I want to share with my fellow devotees is

a very striking difference between the mind set of our Kings and the rulers

else where in India.

In this

book it is written that when the main temple works were about to be completed

the Maharaja was very much pleased with the main silpi and asked him what

presentation he wants for this wonderful works.

And the silpi is reported to have requested for permission for him self

and his family to have Darsan of both the Maharaja and Sri Padmanabha whenever

he (the Maharaja) seeks the Darsan of Sri Padmanabha. And it was granted – The images of the silpi

and his family consisting of his wife and children were engraved in stone and

kept in a prominent place in the temple.

Where to look for it? If you

stand facing Shri Padmanabha about 15 or 20 feet away in the main corridor this

stone sculpture can be seen on your immediate left-had side. Don't miss it next time you visit Sri Padmanabha.

(The same way I had requested my fellow devotees not miss Sri Guruvayurappan's Ganeshas

in Punnathur Ana Kota when ever you visit Guruvayurappan)

It is

said that once Taj Mahal was completed, all the main architects were either

killed or amputed so that no one else will be able to make a similar Mahal any

time later.

Regards, NB Nair.

guruvayur , "R. Kasthuri Rangan" <rkrangan wrote:>> Dear Madam> > If you wish to read more in elaborate detail about Sri Padmanabhaswamy > Temple at Trivandrum, there is an excellent book written by Gouri > Lakshmi Bai of the Travancore Palace. I think the price was around > Rs.500/- when I inquired about 3 years ago. I happened to go there after > reading this book. It made it even more interesting.> > Incidents such as the Hanuman appearing in person to save the temple > from a major fire accident that happened a few years ago (might sound > like a tale, but its not, as according to this supposedly authentic > book, some people who witnessed this divine event are still alive), how > people who clean the temple premises used to hear the roar of lion > inside the temple (referring to Sri Narasimha) etc In addition to these > miracles, the author has dealt with historical events, the various > Maharajas and their contributions too.> > She has also talked about the "guhyam" behind Sri Padmanabhaswamy's idol > and also the use of 1008 salagramas in the main idol. So scintillating! > I have goose pimples when I think about the narrations.> > Best wishes> R. Kasthuri Rangan> > > > sarojram18 wrote:> >> > *_Our tour to Kerala_*> >> > *_ _*> >> > *_ _*> >> > Kerala, God's own country!> >> > > >> > It is true because you can see more of God's creations in Kerala than > > anywhere else. I other lands man has destroyed what God has created. > > I mean the wealth of nature. The green forests and the coconut trees > > and other natural scenes of beauty can be enjoyed only in Kerala > > wherever you travel. Though our trip was a short one and we could not > > have an extended tour all over Kerala due to our age (even this was > > quite exhausting) we had a brief but memorable experience.> >> > > >> > We went to Palghat where a friend Dr.Jaikrishnamenon lived to proceed > > to Palghat from there as he wished to take us in his car. We spent > > some time with his family and went to the Guruvayur temple in Palghat > > maintained by Chinmaya mission. It is just beautiful and > > Guruvayurappan is charming . The murals along the wall of the sannidhi > > depicted scens from dasavathara and there were some other paintings on > > the wall in the meditation hall. I could not drag myself away from the > > place. It is very well maintained and visitors to Palghat should not > > miss it.> >> > > >> > We went to a Hanuman temple in Palghat inside the fort of Tippusultan, > > the Hanumanji there is supposed to be very powerful. It seems two > > Hindu soldiers of Tippu who were stationed there carved a figure of > > hanuman on the rock and later it was made into a proper temple.> >> > > >> > We left for Guruvayur in the evening in a taxi, since we would not > > allow our friend to drive due to a sudden heavy downpour and we had > > to skip our plan to visit Vadakkanatha temple in Trichur as a result. > > Next morning we went to the temple of Guruvayurappan . There was a > > huge crowd with a queue extending far beyond the entrance to the > > temple due to the day being Good Friday a holiday and when we almost > > got reconciled to see the Lord from outside Guruvayurappan willed > > otherwise and our friend took us to the queue of senior citizens which > > was not too long and we were able to have the darsan within an hour.> >> > > >> > The feeling I had on seeing the Lord was something I have never > > experienced earlier even when the temple was not crowded. We were not > > even allowed to go very near the sannidhi , may be due to excessive > > crowd, but the moment I stood in front of the Lord I could feel the > > vibrations of divine joy coursing through me and this feeling I could > > experience again only in Trivandrum in the temple Padmanabha and in > > Thirukurungudi temple , Thirunelveli, though I visited many temples > > during our tour. These were the three places where I could feel the > > divine presence> >> > > >> > > >> > We could not do the thulabharam as planned due to the place being > > overcrowded and we left for Ernakulam thinking that perhaps the Lord > > wants us to come again for tulabhatram.> >> > > >> > When we reached Ernakulam our Indukumar of Guruvayur group came to > > meet us at the station. It was the initiative of Chandrasekhara menon > > of our group to inform her of our arrival and she communicated with me > > before our departure and booked our stay in Bharat hotel and also > > arranged for a taxi to take us around. She and her husband helped us > > with the luggage and left us in the hotel.> >> > > >> > The next day we went to Thirupanithura to the temple Poornathraya > > sayee, of which Indu has written about, and to the Hill palace, > > Thirupanithura, which houses several art pieces and jewels etc. It was > > really fantastic. We climbed the steps more than 60 I am sure, > > realizing only when we went half way up that there is a road around > > for car to travel. Nether our driver knew it nor the man who sold the > > tickets told us!. We managed to call the car for climbing down though, > > which was just as well as it started raining. But it was worthwhile > > though. In the confusion of calling the car etc we forgot to buy the > > postcards showing the art pieces of the museum.> >> > > >> > Then we went to cochin and visited the Mattancheri palace and saw the > > mythological murals, depicting the whole of Ramayana there. To climb > > the stairs for the museum was a task and a fellow tourist a Frenchman > > helped me by offering his arm. Inside I ventured to go down to the > > Queens bedroom to see the murals there through narrow and steep steps > > and I had a tough time climbing up that nearly gave my husband a heart > > attack!.> >> > > >> > Aferwards we rode round the port of cochin and saw the Chinese nets > > and walked along the spice street in Jewish town but the synagogue > > was closed due to some festival season. In the evening we went to the > > Siva temple of Ernakulam which was right opposite our hotel and a > > Hanuman temple adjacent to it which contained a beautiful hanumanji > > and several statues inside. It was really worth seeing.> >> > > >> > The next day Indu took us to chotanikara temple in her car and the > > day being auspicious there was a huge crowd and when we gave up the > > hope of getting in Indu talked to some temple authorities and we were > > taken inside through a special entrance and were able to have the > > darsan in few minutes> >> > > >> > The rest of the morning was spent in the house of Indu with her > > husband and daughter. Mr Kumar is very knowledgeable and he and my > > husband became friends at once. Surya the daughter of Indu was quite > > charming too and we had delightful time with all of them Their house > > is itself a museum of art pieces and they also have a lovely garden, a > > rarity in Chennai. Our visit to their hous is the best part of our > > trip to Ernakulam.> >> > > >> > Indu also saw us off to Trivandrum where we were met by another friend > > from orkut R.Suresh. We went to the Hotel Aryanivas where Suresh made > > the bookings earlier.> >> > > >> > Next day we took a taxi and went to Padmanabha temple. We had a good > > darsan of Padmanabha and Narasimha, Rama and Hanuman inside the > > temple. The face of Padmanabha was not very clearly visible but in > > spite of that I fell in love with Him the moment I saw Him. He was > > simply gorgeous!. If there is one place in Kerala I would like to > > return apart from Guruvayur it is the temple of Padmanabha as I wished > > that I could stay in front of the Lord forever.> >> > > >> > As we could not see the palace, art gallery etc . the day being > > Monday when they are all closed and we went to varkala Krishna temple > > in the afternoon.. The Krishna there is beautiful reminding us of > > Guruvayurappan> >> > > >> > We went to the kudhirmaligai , which got the name due to the wooden > > image of horses sculpted on the roof of the outer wall of the > > palace. It was the place where Maharaja SwathithirunaaL used to stay > > and he built it especially to be near the temple of Padamanabha which > > is adjacent to the palace. It contains paintings and art pieces whach > > are very beautiful but the splendour of the place was mainly due to > > the aura of n music and learning that is reverberated through the > > chambers. Maheraja SwatithitunaaL used to sit in one of his chambers > > from where he could see the temple tower of Padmanabha and compose his > > songs. It was thrilling to visualize the musicians and scholars who > > used to throng the palace chambers in his days. The whole palace is > > of wooden structure and an bounds in beautiful carvings on the > > ceilings and around.> >> > > >> > We went to t chithra art gallery which houses the paintings of > > ravivarma and others and went back and rested for a while and started > > for Thirunelveli.> >> > > >> > We stayed in Hotel Janakiram in Thirunelveli and visited the Vaishnava > > divya desams around Thirunelveli. We returned to Chennai happy but > > exhausted after a ten day travel .> >> > > >> > > >> >>