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ISSN: 1430-3663
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A Contemporary Analysis on the Growth of Religious Tourism and

the Role of Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple

CHINTHU I B
Research Scholar (I C H R Fellow)
Department of History
University of Kerala
9446409444
chinthu.his@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
The tourism sector became one of the most important industries which paved
the way for economic progress in many countries. There are various types of tourism
existed like Eco tourism, medical tourism, Adventure tourism, Pilgrim tourism etc.,.
Tourism is promoted by the government and organizations and treated as a part of
their culture. In Kerala the tourism department was organized by the government to
attract tourist from worldwide they also have a vision to explore the cultural
characteristics of Kerala state to the world. With its natural beauty, Kerala is famous
for religious centers and every year large numbers of religious or pilgrim tourists
visited Kerala. Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital
city of Kerala state is one of the important religious centres which attracted large
number of tourist from in and abroad. The festivals and the religious ceremonies of
the temple which were originally starts during the time of Travancore ruling dynasty
and its architecture are the main attractions. But now it again amazed the world
through disclose of its huge treasure. The present paper tries to analyse the historical
background and the main attractions of the temple and its role to promote tourism in
Kerala.

INTRODUCTION
“To other countries, I may go as a tourist, but to India, I come as a pilgrim.”
-Martin Luther King, Jr.

The sacred image of India is been strengthened by various events and practices
carried out in the country. Great number of tourists are attracted towards the cultural
richness of the country, which includes Navarathri festival 1, Kumbhamela,2
Kalachakra festivals, and many more. Government involvement and participation for
the development of tourism sector attracts many a number of tourists from within and
outside the country. The religious importance of many great tourist spots often
increases because of the visits of renowned religious personalities. Tourism sector
was an integral part of India‟s culture and tradition. In the past pilgrimage was the

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main motive behind travel, which was centered on the holy places in the country. This
resulted in development of a cultural tradition of 'Atithi Devo Bhava' 3. The peaceful
and harmonious existence of various religions paved way for the development of
Indian tourism under the banner of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam which means the world
is one family.4 From the time immemorial the rulers in different parts of India built
palaces, gardens, temples, forts, tombs and memorials giving expression to the depth
of one's feelings and sentiments, which remains as testimony to the rich cultural
heritage of this land. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru's famous quote "Welcome A Tourist
And Send Back A Friend" has been the essence of India Tourism.
FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS
Religious tourism can be explained as Travel which aims at visiting a place, a
building or a shrine which is treated as holy. Pilgrimage tourism is closely associated
with the progress of temples and pilgrim devotion. From the ancient times Temples
and other religious institutions are considered as the centre of energy. Energy can be
acquired through different ways. Certain stones and shrines even by sight give
positive energy. Some temples have Medicinal plants to provide freshness and energy.
Temple architecture and stories are the significant factors that attract people towards
the temples.
Kerala the" Gods Own Country" attracted many tourists. Nature has endowed
Kerala with a lavish decoration of all beautiful things; blue lagoons, golden beaches,
backwaters, blue-green mountain ranges, wildlife sanctuaries, historical monuments,
temple-churches & mosques. It is a land of Kathakali, Kalariapayattu, Elephant
show, Boat races etc., among these; religious institutions played a vital role for the
promotion of tourism industry through implementing and promoting the religious
tourism sector. The role played by religion in the formation of Kerala society is much
significant. Kerala society was famous for its nature of religious toleration, and so it
acted as the meeting ground of various religious sector. Thus, Kerala became a state
of religious diversity, having a population of Hindu, Muslim, Christians, Jews,
Buddhist etc.., these religions and their centers of worship contribute cultural richness
of Kerala.
The major religious centers of Kerala ,the temples like Sree
Padmanabhaswamy temple , Attukal Bhagavathy temple, Guruvayoor temple,
Sabarimala temple , Vadakkumnatha temple, Muthappan temple , churches like

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Vettukad ,Malayattur ,Edathua, Mosques like Beemapalli, Cheraman Juma Masjid

kodungalloor,Ponnani Juma masjid ,Erumeli Vavar Masjid etc., there are many
festivals connected with these religious centers which attracts many peoples.
Thiruvananthapuram the capital city of Kerala is famous for many religious
institutions. Besides these, there are some other tourist attractions in Trivandrum,
such as Napier museum, Sri Chitra art gallery, Natural History Museum, Science
and Technology Museum, Museum Art Gallery and Zoo. The Kovalam beach is one
of the main attractions for foreign tourists, which has given it special attention on the
world map. Thiruvananthapuram is a city having an international airport and
connected with Indian Airlines internally. The city is also well connected with other
parts of the country through its rail and road network, which makes it a comfortable
zone of visit for tourists.
Trivandrum is a centre in Kerala where many festivals and ceremonies took
place. The official celebrations of Kerala government during festivals like Onam,
Christmas, etc, are celebrated in the capital city. Among these rituals and ceremonies
associated with Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple gathers much attention of the people.
Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu located
in Thiruvananthapuram which is famous for its historicity and recent debates on its
huge treasure.5 It is the famous temple connected with the royal family of Travancore
and the state. The temple is one of the 108 Divya desams, 6 Holy Abodes of Vishnu.
The temple is a replica of the famous Sree Adi Kesavaperumal temple at Thiruvattar
in Tamilnadu.Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple gave its name to capital of Kerala state,
Thiruvananthapuram. „Thiru‟ „Anantha‟ „Puram‟ means Sacred Abode of Lord
Anantha Padmanabha.7 The city is also known as Ananthapuram or the City of Bliss
and Syananduram means Where Bliss is not far off.
The Principal Deity, of the temple Sree Padmanabha Swamy, is enshrined in
the "Ananthasayanam" posture which means the eternal sleep of Yoga nidra on the
serpent god Anantha.8 The Maharajah of Travancore bears the title, "Sree
Padmanabhahadasa‟ or Servant of Lord Padmanabha which testifies their beliefs in
this God. In line with the Temple Entry Proclamation, only those who profess the
Hindu faith are permitted entry to the temple. Devotees have to strictly follow the
dress code which shows affection to the god.

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In the sanctum sanctorum, Sri Padmanabhaha reclines on the serpent Anantha

or Adi Sesha which have five hoods facing inwards, signifying contemplation. The
Lord's right hand is placed over a Shiva lingam. Sridevi, the Goddess of Prosperity
and Bhudevi the Goddess of Earth, two consorts of Vishnu are by his side. Brahma
emerges on a lotus, which emanates from the navel of the Lord. The deity is made
from 12,000 saligrams. 9These saligrams are from the banks of the Gandaki River in
Nepal, and to commemorate this certain rituals used to be performed at the
Pashupathinath. The deity of Sri Padmanabha is covered with, "Kootusarkara yogam",
a special Ayurvedic mix, which forms a plaster that keeps the deity clean.
The platforms in front of the tower and where the deity rests are both carved
out of a single massive stone and hence called "Ottakkal-mandapam." It is cut out of a
rock at Thirumala, about four miles north of the Thiruvananthapuram, measuring 20
feet square and 2.5 feet thick was brought and placed in front of the deity in 1731.10 In
11
order to perform darsan and puja, one has to ascend the mandapam. The Deity is
visible through three doors the visage of the reclining Lord and Siva Linga underneath
the hand is seen through the first door; Sridevi and Divakara Muni in Katusarkara,
Brahma seated on a lotus emanating from the Lord's navel, hence the name,
"Padmanabhaha", gold abhisheka moorthies of Lord Padmanabhaha, Sridevi and
Bhudevi, and silver utsava moorthi of Padmanabhaha through the second door; the
Lord's feet, and Bhudevi and Kaundinya Muni in Katusarkara through the third door.
Only the King of Travancore may perform sashtanga namaskaram, or prostrate on the
"Ottakkal Mandapam". It is traditionally held that anybody who prostrates on the
mandapam has surrendered all that he possesses to the Deity. Since the ruler has
already done that, he is permitted to prostrate on this mandapam.

Padmanabha swami temple is famous for various festivals like Arattu,

Pallivetta, Bhadradeepam12, Lakshadeepam, Velakali, Seeveli, etc. The major
festivals are bi-annual one is Alpashy festival which is performed in October or
November month and the Panguni festival which is performed in March or April and
it lasts for 10 days each. On the ninth day of this festival the Maharajah of
Travancore, in his capacity as Thrippappoor Mooppan, escorts the deities to the
vettakkalam for Pallivetta. Centuries back, the Pallivetta procession was said to pass
through Kaithamukku, Kuthiravattom, pazhaya sreekandeswaram and

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Putharikkandam. These festivals culminated with the Aarat13 or the holy bath
procession to the shangumugham beach. This event takes place in the evening. The
Maharajah of Travancore escorts the Aarat procession on foot. The festival idols or
the "Utsava Vigrahas" of Padmanabhaswamy, Narasimha Moorthi and Krishna
Swami are given a ritual bath in the sea, after the prescribed poojaas . After this
ceremony, the idols are taken back to the temple in a procession that is lit by
traditional torches, marking the conclusion of the festival.
The major annual festival related with the Padmanabha temple is
the Navarathri festival. The idols of Saraswathy Amman, Mun Uditha Nangai who
appeared before Saraswati, Lakshmi and Parvati to help them identify their husbands
who had been transformed into infants by the power of chastity of Anasuya and
Kumara Swami are brought to the Kuthira Malika palace in front of Padmanabha
swami temple as a procession. This festival lasts for 9 days. The famous Swathi music
festival is held every year during this festival. Pallivetta is a ceremony in which the
head of the royal family shoots a tender coconut using a bow and arrow. This
ritual symbolizes Lord Vishnu hunting down the demon of evil in a forest; this is
held in front of the Sundaravilasam Palace inside the Thiruvananthapuram fort.
Pallivetta is held on the eve of Arattu festival. 14
The biggest festival in this temple is Laksha Deepam, which means hundred
thousand or one lakh lamps. This festival is unique and commences once in 6 years.
Prior to this festival, chanting of prayers and recitation of three vedas is done for 56
days. On the last day, hundred thousand oil lamps are lit in and around the temple
premises. Lakshadeepam ceremony was first carried out in temple in 1520, but it
was later restarted only after Thrippadidanam ceremony. On this day, maharaja
offers gold, and many other valuables to the temple. Makara Seeveli is also
conducted on that night. Velakali is performed in the temple during Painguni
Utsavam, it is performed outside the temple, where hundreds of men enact battle
of Kurukshetra. 15The next laksha deepam is scheduled in January 2020.
Bhadradeepam is a unique bi-annual ceremony in Padmanabhaswamy temple.
CONCLUSION
From the ancient period the temple attracts devotees, in and around Kerala
with its majestic architectural beauty and its divinity power. The festivals
performed in Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple were the main attraction from its

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ancient times. The city of Thiruvananthapuram developed under its influence. The
rulers of Travancore considered this temple and it‟s deity as their family god so
they protected and patronized this temple. Along with them the people also
believed the deity as their ruler. Padmanabhaswamy temple is nowadays in the
limelight due to its enormous wealth, and so the temple is centre of attraction of
Hindu religious tourism. In the past devotees of high caste were only allowed to
visit the temple but the royal proclamation of temple entry in 1936 by the
Travancore ruler Sree Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma paved way for all
Hindus irrespective of their caste to enter in to the temple. The income from the
associated industries related with this temple became the source of livelihood of
many people. The temple became the backbone of religious tourism in Kerala.
NOTES AND REFERENCES

1
Navarathri is a festival celebrated in different parts of India; it is the festival of
nine nights and ten days during which the nine forms of Devi or goddess are
worshipped.
2
Kumbhamela is a mass Hindu festival of faith in which Hindus gather to bathe in a
sacred or holy river.
3
The idea which consider guest as god
4
Shin Yasuda, Razaq Raj and Kevin Griffin, Religious Tourism in Asia Tradition and
Change through Case Studies and Narratives, CPI Group, UK, 2018, p.74.
5
The News Minute ,Dated on 05/01/2015
6
Sunita Pant Bansal, Hindu Pilgrimage, New Delhi 2011,p.98.
7
Samuel Mateer, The Land of Charity: The Descriptive Account of Travancore and
Its People, London, 1883, p.164.
8
ibid
9
Velupillai, The Travancore State Manual. vol II,p.337
10
ibid
11
ibid
12
The worship of the lamps in Padmanabhaswamy temple
13
The word Aarat refers to the purificatory immersion of the deities of the temple in
sea.
14
https://www.keralatourism.org/video-gallery/padmanabhaswamy-temple-arattu/152,
December 22, 2018).
15
Uma Maheswari,H.H.Uthradam Tirunal Marthanda Varma, Travancore the
Footprints of Destiny, Konark publication, 2009, p.44-46.

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