Guruvayur Temple

13.12.2024

Guruvayur Temple

Why in the news?   

The Supreme Court recently agreed to examine a plea against the Kerala High Court order in favour of the administration of the Guruvayur temple, which decided to discontinue the ancient ritual of "udayasthamana pooja" on Ekadasi, citing crowd management issues.

About Guruvayur Temple:

• Guruvayoor Sree Krishna Swamy Temple, also known as the Dwarka of the South, is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Krishna.
• It is located in the small town of Guruvayur, in the Thrissur District of Kerala.
• The earliest temple records date back to the 17th century, but other literary texts and legends indicate that the temple may be around 5000 years old.
• In 1716 AD, the Dutch plundered and set fire to the temple. It was rebuilt in 1747 AD.
• In terms of devotees every day, it is the fourth biggest shrine in India.

Features of the Temple:

• Lord Krishna, or Guruvayoorappan, is the chief deity of this temple.
• The temple is built in the traditional Kerala architectural style.
• It is believed that the central shrine of the temple was reconstructed in the year 1638 C.E.
• Structures like the Nalambalam (temple structure surrounding the sanctum sanctorum), Balikkal (sacrificial stone), and Deepastambam (pillar of lights) are situated on the temple premises.
• The wall of the sanctum sanctorum is decked with ancient 17th-century murals.
• Another famous sight here is the Dwajasthamba. It is a flagstaff, around 70 feet tall, fully covered with gold.
• The Thulabharam is one of the most popular offerings at Guruvayur Temple. In this ritual, devotees are weighed against jaggery, coconuts, sugar, or bananas on a giant set of scales. This quantity is then given to the Lord as an offering.
• The temple is also noted for being home to a large population of captive male Asian elephants.
• The Punnathur Kotta elephant sanctuary, where 56 elephants live, is very close to the temple.

                                                                  Source: India Today

The Guruvayur Temple, recently seen in the news, is located in which one of the following states?

A.Andhra Pradesh

B.Maharashtra

C.Karnataka

D.Kerala

Answer D