The mysterious temple of shree Padmanabha swamy

Padmanabha swamy Temple is located in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. The temple is built in an intricate fusion of the indigenous Kerala style and the Tamil style (kovil) of architecture associated with the temples located in the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu, featuring high walls, and a 16th-century Gopuram. While the Moolasthanam of the temple is the Ananthapuram Temple in Kumbala in Kasargod District, architecturally to some extent, the temple is a replica of the Adikesava Perumal temple located in Thiruvattar,
Kanyakumari District.
The principal deity Lord Vishnu is enshrined in the “Anantha Shayanam” posture, the eternal yogic sleep on the serpent Adisheshan. Shree Padmanabha swamy is the tutelary deity of the royal family of Travancore. The titular Maharaja of Travancore Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma is the trustee of the temple. In line with the Temple Entry Proclamation, only those who profess the Hindu faith are permitted entry to the temple and devotees have to strictly follow the dress code. The name of the city of Thiruvananthapuram in Malayalam translates to “The City of Lord Ananta”, referring to the deity of Padmanabha swamy Temple.

The eternal Nandi

Nandi is the name of the gate- guardian deity of Kailasa, the abode of Lord Shiva. He is usually depicted as a bull which also serves as the mount to the god Shiva. According to Saivite siddhantic tradition, he is considered as the chief guru of eight disciples of Nandinatha Sampradaya – Sanaka, Sanatana, Sanandana, Sanatkumara, Tirumular, Vyagrapada, Patanjali and Sivayoga Muni who were send to eight directions to spread the wisdom of Shaivism.

Abdul Kalam a true secularist

A P J Abdul Kalam was just a name to me until sometime in 2000, when I had to necessarily meet him on a personal mission. I was CBI Director, and he Principal Scientific Adviser to the PM. He had his office in South Block and the meeting was arranged courtesy my college classmate T […]

Nepal Government helping Women Entrepreneurs with Loans

Women entrepreneurship, a relatively new but evolving concept, is seen in both urban and rural parts of Nepal. Women entrepreneurs are taking risk and starting their own enterprise. The Government of Nepal at the meantime has its focus on initiating program like Women Entrepreneurship Development Fund (WEDF) to help women entrepreneurs meet their financial need […]

The Unwanted: female foeticide in India

There is a peculiar allure about the female body in India: it invites violence. Sex-selective abortion was outlawed long ago, given that the sex ratio had been indicating that too many girls were ‘missing’. Indians, as a rule, do not want girls. There is a peculiar allure about the female body in India: it invites […]