TIRUVANANTHAPURAM

The sacred name - Tiruvananthapuram admits two meaningful interpretations. It means the place of Anantha - the divine serpent couch of Sri Mahavishnu. As 'Ananta' is one of the holy names of Lord Vishnu, it applies equally to that Highest Divinity also. So it is the abode of both Adisesha and it is creator Adinarayana. Being the seat of Anantapadmanabhaswamy, in his yoganidra posture - lying on the serpent of Anantha, this thirtha kshetra has many enviable plus points, responsible for luring theists in thousands throughout the year. 

It is this Ananthapadmanabhaswamy, who shrank from his 13 Km long form to present 10 feet length at the request of Divakara Muni; it is this temple, which is so firmly entwined with the fortunes of the kings of Travancore that they styled themselves as the Padmanabhadasas, after dedicating their entire kingdom to the deity in the true spirit of scriptural injunctions; it is to this Divinity, Tulu brahmin priests alone are appointed according to divine command for performing pujas; it is this holy kshetra called Sayanadorapuram in Dwaparayuga, when Balarama visited during his Bhupradakshana, and was thriving then as a great centre of pilgrimage; it is to here, of all the shrines in the world the presiding deity is to be seen through three doors - face from the southern door, feet from the Northern and Nabhi from the middle door; it is to the making of the imposing temple flag staff, elephants performed a colossal feat of transporting the huge teak wood log without allowing it touch the ground all along from a distance 45 Km forest to the temple; it is this holy kshetra visited by many illustrious Vaishnavite saints like Nammalwar etc;.....

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