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Guruvayur (Sri Krishna Temple)

Guruvayur (Sri Krishna Temple)

pilgrimage site · Kerala

Guruvayur is a temple town in Kerala centred on the revered Sri Krishna (Guruvayurappan) Temple, often called the Dwarka of the South.

State
Kerala
Type
Pilgrimage Site

Guruvayur is a temple town in Kerala centred on the revered Sri Krishna (Guruvayurappan) Temple, often called the Dwarka of the South. The deity is worshipped as the young Krishna, and the shrine is one of the busiest Vaishnava pilgrimage centres in India, famed for its strict rituals, temple elephants and devotional music.

When to go

October to February brings pleasant weather; the Ekadasi festival and the Ulsavam (February to March) are the most auspicious times.

Why visit

Hindus only, and the dress code is enforced: men bare-chested in a mundu, women in a sari or set-mundu. The temple's elephants are kept at Punnathurkotta three kilometres away, and that is where you can actually spend time with them.

Cultural notes

Guruvayur is a favoured venue for weddings, rice-feeding and tonsure ceremonies; the nearby Punnathurkotta sanctuary houses the temple's elephants.

How to reach

By Train: Guruvayur has its own railway station, with Thrissur (about 30 km) a major junction. By Air: Cochin International Airport is about 80 km away and Calicut around 100 km. By Road: Frequent buses connect Thrissur and other Kerala towns.

Guruvayur (Sri Krishna Temple) in 2 days

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2 days in Guruvayur (Sri Krishna Temple)

Take the whole plan, or add any single stop.

Day 1

Day 1

Early darshan at Guruvayur temple

Early darshan at Guruvayur temple

Day 1

Seeveli elephant procession

Seeveli elephant procession

Day 1

Punnathur Kotta elephant sanctuary

Punnathur Kotta elephant sanctuary

Day 1

Vegetarian Sadya lunch

Vegetarian Sadya lunch

Day 2

Day 2

Mammiyoor & Parthasarathy temples

Mammiyoor & Parthasarathy temples

Day 2

Day trip to Thrissur (Vadakkunnathan temple)

Day trip to Thrissur (Vadakkunnathan temple)

Chavakkad Beach

Day 2

Chavakkad Beach

Near Guruvayur Temple.

Guruvayur (Sri Krishna Temple) guide & itineraries

Guruvayur (Sri Krishna Temple) is perfect for

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What & where to eat

Pazham Pori

Pazham Pori

Sweet fried plantain snack

Filter coffee

Filter coffee

South Indian filter coffee

Temple Sadya

Temple Sadya

Banana-leaf vegetarian feast

Palada Payasam

Palada Payasam

Temple rice-and-milk pudding

Kerala vegetarian meals

Kerala vegetarian meals

Pure-veg thalis around the temple

Nearby getaways

Thrissur

~30 min

Kochi

Kochi

~1.5 hrs

Shopping

Shops sell sandalwood, devotional items, Kerala bell-metal lamps, the bananas that pilgrims bring, and local sweets.

Things to do

How to spend your time in Guruvayur (Sri Krishna Temple).

Guruvayur temple darshan

Guruvayur temple darshan

Darshan of Guruvayurappan at one of Kerala's holiest temples

Temple festivals & Chamayavilakku

Temple festivals & Chamayavilakku

Colourful seasonal festivals and lamp rituals

Frequently asked questions

Who is the deity at Guruvayur?

Lord Krishna, worshipped here as Guruvayurappan in the form of the young Krishna holding a conch, discus, mace and lotus.

Is there a dress code at Guruvayur?

Yes. Men wear a mundu without an upper garment; women wear sarees, set-mundu or salwar-kameez. Entry to the sanctum is for Hindus only.

How many days for Guruvayur?

1 day for darshan and the elephant sanctuary; add Thrissur to make it 2.

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Alleppey (Backwaters)

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The mistake in Alleppey is the day boat. A houseboat only becomes worth it once the day-trippers have gone home and the water goes quiet. Book an overnight, and if you can, book a smaller boat that can leave the main channel. The big two-storey ones are restricted to the wide canals where they queue up alongside each other; the small ones get into the narrow waterways between the paddy fields, which is where the backwaters stop being a boat trip and start being a place where people live. Better still, spend a morning on a public ferry. The government service from Alleppey to Kottayam costs almost nothing, takes a couple of hours, stops at village jetties, and carries schoolchildren and shopping. You will see more of the actual backwaters from its deck than from most houseboats. The paddy fields here are farmed below sea level, kept dry by dykes and pumps — Kuttanad is one of the few places in the world where that is done. October to March. The monsoon has its own case, and the snake boat races in the wet season are worth planning around, but the water is high and the light is grey.

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