The Janardhana Swamy Temple is located on a hill, on Beach Road, half way between Varkala town and Varkala beach The presiding deity is Vishnu, and the idol including the lotus shaped platform is six feet in height. As per epic the idol was found from the southern sea coast. The sanctum sanctorum is round in shape and is facing east.. It’s reached via a long climb of stairs to the top. However, only Hindus are allowed to enter the temple’s inner sanctum.The temple is has been an important Hindu pilgrimage site since the 12th Century. All around the temple, there are strikingly crafted and painted images of Lord Hanuman in various poses.Hanuman, the Hindu monkey god of power and strength, helped Lord Rama to rescue his wife Sita from the demon king Ravana.The temple is a very good specimen of traditional South-Indian architecture. The circular building with a red-tiled roof houses the main shrine. Within the temple grounds, an old banyan tree contains within its trunk, images of ancient animistic snake deities. Non Hindus are not allowed to enter the inner sanctum of the Janardhana Swamy temple, but are allowed to walk around the sanctum and stroll around the huge banyan tree.Four poojas are conducted in a day abiding by Cherumukku thanthric. The chief priest should compulsorily be from another place, and should not be a native of the place where the temple exists. Sub-deities are Ganapathi, Shastha, Ananthakrishanan Shiv a, Chandikeshan, Hanuman and Nagam. Ten days festival is observed with an arrattu on the Uthram star day of the Malayalam month of Meena. Offering of Balihere for the repose of souls is a very important ritual. As per Mahabharatha, Balabhadran has come here for a pilgrimage.The temple has an ancient bell removed from a shipwreck, donated by the captain of the Dutch vessel which sank near Varkala without causing any casualties.Best time to visit the temple is during the Arattu Festival which is celebrated in the month of March and April for 10 days. A grand celebration that commences on day of Karthika goes on for 10 days, ending on the Uthram Day. A huge colourful procession with caparisoned elephants along with a crowd of ten thousand is taken out during the festival days. The Arattu, celebrated every year in Meenam (March-April), is the main festival at the Janardhana Swamy temple. The temple attracts many devotees.
Location info:
Address:Varkala, Thiruvananthapuram district, kerala, India
District: Thiruvananthapuram district
Nearest City:Trivandrum, Kovalam, Cochin.
Best time to visit:March to April.
Climate/Weather:
The Climate is Tropical and Humid. The Weather Temparature ranges from Summer(Humid): Mar – May: 25°c-33°c / Summer Max: 35°c. and Monsoon(Cloudy): Jun-mid – Sep: 21°c-27°c / Winter Min: 15°c. Winter(Pleasant): Sep – Feb: 22°c-28°c.
History:
Interesting things to do:
Please Watch The Arattu, celebrated every year in Meenam (March-April), is the main festival at the Janardhana Swamy temple. The temple attracts many devotees.
Interesting things to Visit:
Papanasam Beach:Varkala beach is the best spot along Kerala coast for watching sunset. The sight of the sun sinking into the sea would stimulate your poetic sense.Anjengo Fort, Varkala:Near to varkala is the site of the Dutch East India Company’s main garrison, Anjengo Fort. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the fort protected their powerful position in the state.Kappil Lake:At the outskirts of Varkala town, the lake gives way to the scenic world of the Kerala backwaters.Varkala Tunnel:This 924 ft tunnel was built in the19th century and it took nearly 14years to be completed. A prominent tourist attraction in Varkala, the tunnel is a must-visit site on your tour to Varkala.Ananda Valleeswaram Temple:The Ananda Valleeswaram Temple of Kollam attracts people on almost all days. There are several Churches and Mosques around Kollam. The Pullichira Church was established in 1700 A.D. Mahatma Gandhi beach & park at Kochupilamoodu, Thirumullavaram beach and Ashramam picnic village, are some of the important spots of local sight seeing.Sivagiri temple:Sivagiri Mutt set in picturesque hill of Sivagiri near Varkala have now become a place of pilgrimage with great fanfare.Colourful processions, debates and seminars, public meetings, cultural shows, community feasts, group wedding, rituals all mark the celebrations in Sivagiri hills.Sree Narayana Guru was one of the greatest social reformers of India and a contemporary of Mahatma Gandhi. His call for equality among people found a great following.His teachings have had a profound effect on the caste-ridden society of Kerala and helped the state achieve great social progress when compared to the ther states of India.
Mobile range info:
How to reach?
Nearest Railway Station:Varkala Railway Station
Nearest Airport:Trivendrum International Airport.
Road Transport:Varkala is 53 kilometers from Thiruvananthapuram and 37 kilometers from Kollam, there are regular buses to/from both cities, which stop at Temple Junction. The journey from Thiruvananthapuram to Varkala is about 75 minutes away on the bus and is a pleasant convenient place to pass time. Taxis also are available from Thiruvananthapuram direct to Varkala, Lots of the vehicles take the main highway, the National Highway 47. And from Temple Junction are available taxis or auto-rickshaws, which ride to the Varkala beach on only five minutes.
Nearest Visiting places:
Agasthyakoodam:Lying at an altitude of 1,890 m, Agasthyakoodam is the highest peak in southern Kerala. It forms part of Western Ghats and the Agasthyavanam forest, The hill is revered by both Buddhists and Hindus. For Buddhists, it is the abode of the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara; for Hindus it is the abode of sage Agastya, a disciple of Lord Shiva.The hills are rich in medicinal plants, herbs and many species of birds and wild animals. Trekking to the top takes two days and is only permitted between December and April.Neyyar Dam:It is a wonderful dam located near the ranges of Western Ghats, and is a well-liked tourist spot. This dam is also an ideal spot for the picnic and for spending some quality moments with friends and family. Your tour to Trivandrum will become one of the most memorable events in your life as you will come across some of the most interesting and awe-inspiring places that you hardly would have witnessed before.Paripally Gajamela:Paripally, 48 km north of Trivandrum is noted for its Gajamela or Elephant pageant. Over 50 elephants are taken out on a ritual procession on the tenth day of the festival in the month of February-March.Ponmudi:An idyllic hill resort with narrow, winding pathways and cool, green, wooded environs, Ponmudi is located 913 met~s above sea level. Along with a variety of beautiful mountain flowers, exotic butterflies, small rivulets, springs and the deer park nearby, this hill station also has excellent trekking trails. Food: KTDC restaurant.Kanyakumari:This is the land`s end of India and is only 87 km from Trivandrum. This is also known as Cape Comorin. This beautiful spot is located in the neighbouring Tamil Nadu state. This place has got international recognition because of Vivekananda who started his journey from this place.Koyikkal Palace, Nedumangad:Located on the way to the Ponmudi Hill Station and the Courtallam waterfalls, this ancient palace dates back to the 13th century. Here you can see a double storeyed traditional Nalukettu building with slanting gabled roofs, an inner courtyard and museums of folklore and numismatics set up by the Department of Archaeology.Vizhinjam Rock Cut Cave Temple:There are rock cut sculptures of the 18th century in the cave temple at Vizhinjam. The granite cave here encloses a one-celled shrine with a loose sculpture ofVinandhara Dakshinamurthi. The outer wall of the cave depicts half complete reliefs of the Hindu God Shiva with Goddess ParvathiSree Chithra Art Gallery:Located near the Napier Museum, this art gallery displays select paintings of Raja Ravi Varma, Svetlova and Nicholas Roerich and exquisite works from the Raiput, Mughal andTanjore schools of art in India. The collection also includes paintings from China, Japan, Tibet and Ball.Chacha Nehru Children`s Museum:Children of all age groups will enjoy the vast collection of nearly 2000 dolls, stamps and masks displayed here. Observatory: Located at the highest point in the city, near the Museum complex 60 metres above sea level, one can have a bird`s eye view of the city from here.Anivikkara Dam:This picturesque picnic spot is on the banks of the Karamana River. Near the Durga Temple here is a stream full offish that fearlessly come close to the shore to be fed by the visitors.Santa Cruz Basilica Church :This Roman Catholic church is situated near the St. Francis church and is worth a visit. It is a specimen of Portuguese architecture built in 1503. ‘Frescoes’ and mural paintings decorate the ceiling and interior parts of the church. The gothic architecture and the lofty spires gives it a unique grandeur Bolghatty Island : Bolghatty palace built by the Dutch in 1744. Later it became the seat of the British Resident of Cochin. Today it is a hotel run by K.T.D.C. The grounds have a small golf course & several vantage points for lovely views of the harbour & the sea.Willington Island :Connected to the mainland by road-cum-railway Venduruthy Bridge, Willington Island is named after the former Viceroy of India, Lord Willington. It is a manmade Island created from the materials dredged while deepening Cochin Port. Willington Island sites some of the district’s best hotels, Trading and industrial offices. Besides the airport, ship building yard, wharf, the Southern Naval Command Head Quarters, the customs house and the Cochin Chamber of Commerce and Industries, the government of IndiaChinese Fishing Nets : A legacy of the trading connections between China and India many centuries ago. The long rows of Chinese Nets silhouetted against the sunset present a spectacular sight of Cochin’s waterfront. These are large nets which hang from bamboo or teak posts, still to be in use by the local fisher folk of Fort Cochin.Vyppin light house :The biggest Island, situated between the sea and the backwaters of Cochin. It is 24 km long and 2 1/2 km wide. There is a light house at Ochanthuruthu which is open to tourists from 3 pm to 5 pm. The Island can be reached only by water transport provided by boat services and Junkar. There are bus services on the Island.Pallippuram Fort :Pallippuram fort was built by the Portuguese in 1503. It is one of the oldest existing European monuments in India. The Dutch captured the fort in 1661 and sold it to the State of Travancore in 1789. This fort is situated in the northern extremity of the Vyppin Island at Pallippuram. The catholic church at Pallippuram is an important pilgrim centre of the Christians.The Pareekshit Thampuran Museum :Its archeological museum adjacent to the Shiva temple in Durbar Hall Road,Ernakulam. This museum features collections of the 19th century paintings , Pre-historic monuments , Old coins in a numismatic gallery, Scriptures in stone & Plaster of Paris, Copies of mural paintings etc & the collection from the Cochin royal family. In the earlier days the museum was the Durbar Hall of Cochin Rajas where guests were welcomed, and where official ceremonies and meetings were held. Now under the State Archaeological Department.The Akulam Boat Club:Its just 8 kms away from Thiruvananthapuram is another famed tourist attraction. The club provides boating cruises on the nearby Akulam Lake. A bat ride from here to the Karamana River will cost approximately Rs. 300 (to and fro). It also houses an amusement park and a swimming pool for children. Tourists often visit this Club to picnic with friends and family.Pozhikara Beach:Pozhikara Beach is a nearby haunt beloved by tourists. The Karamana and Parvathy Puthanaar Rivers empty into the Arabian Sea at this spot.Flora and Fauna:Brilliantly colored flowers, striking in variety beauty, the dense green foliage, the natural vegetation, the exotic water birds and others flora and fauna make your tour on the Thiruvallam Backwaters an unending bag of pleasant surprisesVeli tourist Village:The Veli Tourist Village is sandwiched between the Veli Lagoon and the Arabian Sea. The lagoon here is separated from the sea by a narrow sand bar. Facilities at the village include water sports in the lagoon and 18 acre waterfront park with a floating bridge that connects the village to the beach.Canoe Rides:Tourists enjoy canoe rides and capture breathtaking views of the country life on Thiruvallam backwaters tours.
Nearest Petrol Pump:
Indian Oil Petrol Pump Varkala Edava Kappil Road Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Indian Oil Petrol Pump Sivagiri Road Varkala, Kerala.
Hotels/Lodge/Accommodation:
Varkala Homestay (La Exotica) Helipad, Varkala Beach, Kerala 695141 Tel: 0470 2608866.Hindustan Beach Retreat Papanasam Beach Janardhanapuram, Varkala Trivandrum, Kerala 695141 Tel: 0470 2604254.SP GRAND DAYS Hotel Thycaud, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695014 Tel: 0471 2333344.
Things to carry:
Tips & Suggestions:
Help Line/Phone Number:
Police Station:Varkala Police Station Kerala Tel: 0470 2602333Kallambalam Police Station NH 47, Thiruvananthapuram KeralaKollam East Police Station Kollam, Kerala Tel: 0474 2742072.
Nearest Hospital:Stavyah Lifecare , Varkala Stavyah Lifecare Services Pvt. Ltd Near Varkala Court, Varkala, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695141 Tel: 0470 2607766.Divya Prabha Eye Hospital Kumarapuram, Thiruvananthapuram Kerala 695011 Tel: 0471 2442050.AJU’S DENTAL CARE CENTRE Trivandrum Bypass Rd Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695024 Tel: 0471 2476304.
