Guruvayoor

Introduction And History : Guruvayoor is a major pilgrimage centre in South India. Situated in Thrissur district of Kerala, the town is best-known for its temple, the abode of the deity Lord Guruvayurappan (Lord Krishna as a child).According to belief, the temple is the creation of guru, the preceptor of the goods, and vayu, the god of winds. The temple serves as a major venue for boosting culture and arts. Krishnattam Kali and Carnatic music and many other classical arts encouraged. The temple is renowned for its healing powers and has the distinction of being the only site where Annaprasanam, the first feeding ceremony for a child, and many weddings are held. Moreover the temple is known to be the birthplace for the literary works Narayaneeyam by Melpathoor Narayana Bhattathiri and Jnanappana by Poonthanam. Exquisite offerings and beautiful mural paintings enrich the cultural heritage of this site.

What To See :The Guruvayoor temple is the major attraction of this place, which is known as ‘Maha Kshetra’ considering its number of devotees. Only Hindus are allowed inside the temple even today, which has created many debates in the past. The elephant sanctuary (Anakkottam) is one of its kinds in the world. It has about 51 elephants, some of them offering services to the temple. March to September is the best time to visit Guruvayoor.

Accomodations : As Guruvayoor attracts huge volume of tourists every year, accommodation is available at various ranges. Pretty cheap accommodation is available with less than 1000 rupees per day, which goes as high as 3000 rupees. The temple authorities (Devaswom) offer cottages for pilgrims at a very lower cost. Multiple guest houses and hostels are available on prior booking.

Mode Of Transport : Cochin is the nearest international airport, which is 80 kilometers from Guruvayoor. It has a railway station on eastern side of the temple, which is well connected with Chennai-Mangalore main line at Thrissur. The national highway passed through Guruvayoor, which is well connected with other parts of the state.

Related links:
Official website: http://www.guruvayurdevaswom.org
Tourist information: http://www.guruvayoor.net

See also (Nearby places): Athirapally-Vazhicahal Water falls, Silver Storm and Dream world water theme parks, Beach, Anathavalam and Peechi Dam.