Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple

The Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple at Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) city is one among the 108 sacred Vishnu temples in India.

The idol is an 18 feet long Lord Mahavishnu reclining over the Serpent King Anantha. The temple has a blend of Dravidian and Kerala architectural styles and sprawls over a vast area. The entry to the shrine is allowed to Hindus only.

The festivals are held during the months of Meenam and Thulam (March-April and October-November respectively), according to the Malayalam calendar. Pallivetta (Royal hunt) and Arattu (Holy bath) are two important rituals held as part of the festivals.

Also, the rituals Lakshadeepam and Murajapam are conducted at the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple once in six years.

The temple is managed by the Royal family of Travancore. Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) and adjacent places were part of the former Travancore kingdom. The temple is noted for its mural painting and stone carvings.