Guruvayoor is most recognized for its religious significance. It is home to the highly revered temples of Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva. Plus, there are several other temples of different Hindu deities. Blessed with nature’s riches and a long tradition of religion and culture the town is a must-visit. Visit the quaint religious town during next vacation and pick from the best hotels in Guruvayoor.
Kerala, the God’s own country is certainly one of the places that exhibit the best Indian culture of centuries old traditions, religion, and significance of both in the lives of the locals. The state is perhaps the most culturally rich state in the nation and is home to numerous highly revered Hindu temples, shrines, and old cities. Guruvayoor, one of the oldest cities of Kerala is one such religious destination where the locals as well as the pilgrims from across the world immerse themselves in the pious milieu of religion and spirituality.
Guruvayoor is a highly significant Hindu pilgrimage in the country and also ranks amongst the top tourist destinations. There are a couple of interesting places to visit in and around the city, and the genuine Keralan hospitality is best experienced at the hotels in Guruvayoor.
The place is most known for being the abode of Lord Krishna. There is an old temple of Lord Vishnu, which is believed to be worship by Lord Krishna before the temple was moved to Guruvayoor. It is said that the temple was built by Lord Parasurama, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The temple is called Guruvayoor Temple and is the prime centre of the town. There is a popular belief that on the orders of Lord Krishna, Deva Guru Brihaspati and Vayu Deva took the temple from Dwarka and placed it in Guruvayoor so that people can come and worship the Lord. As they placed the temple so the temple came to be known as Guruvayoor which is a combination of Guru and Vayu. Today the temple is the fourth largest temple in India in terms of number of people visiting it on daily basis. Especially amongst the Vaishnavites the temple occupies an immense reverence as the temple is one of the 108 most revered temples of the Lord in the world.
Surrounding the main temple there are several other old temples that were built by the kings and rulers of the region to show their devotion to the presiding deity. All the temples along with the Guruvayoor temple remain filled with pilgrims and tourists yearlong. Apart from these there is also a highly revered temple of Lord Shiva called Mammiyoor Shiva Temple in the vicinity. It is a popular practice amongst the pilgrims to visit both Guruvayoor as well as Mammiyoor temple if they want their Guruvayoor pilgrimage to get complete. In fact, it is believed that before Deva Guru and Vayu Deva relocated the temple of Lord Krishna the place originally housed Mammiyoor Temple. The Mammiyoor temple houses large beautiful murals, and consists of two different shrines; the shrines of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu.
The other significant places to visit in Guruvayoor are: Institute of Mural Painting, Devaswom Museum, Punathur Elephant Palace, and Statues of Guruyaur Kesavan and Maraprabhu. The town is particularly known for its colorful festivals which are the feasts of culture, religion, dance and music. The most popular festivals here are: Guruvayur Ekadesi, Chembai Sangeetholsavam, and Guruvayur Festival.
Lodging here is not a big problem as there are plenty of hotels to pick from. The 3 Star hotels in Guruvayoor in particular are quite popular as they offer value for money lodgings and some also offer tour and transportation services.
Author Bio: Sandeep is an experienced travel writer and enthusiast blogger. He has explored many known and less-known places in India in the last 10 years. His experience adds to his expert knowledge on the best hotels, different travel routes through trains, flights, and road. He also specializes in off-beat places to eat and stay at. He also advises amateur tourists on travel tips.