Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple

About Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Thiruvananthapuram

Ancient royal shrine built in Dravidian style

• Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple stands at the center of East Fort.
• The Travancore royal family managed the shrine for centuries, and King Marthanda Varma dedicated his kingdom to the presiding deity here in 1750.
• The complex displays classic Tamil Dravidian architecture alongside Kerala woodwork, featuring a 100-foot-tall, seven-tier gopuram covered in stone carvings.
• Inside the sanctum sanctorum, the idol of Vishnu reclines on the serpent Anantha, viewable across three separate doors.
• Stone corridors with hundreds of carved pillars frame the walkways around the main temple pond, the Padmatheertham.
• Non-Hindus cannot enter the inner grounds, and all visitors must follow a traditional dress code: men wear dhotis without shirts, while women wear saris or settu mundu.
• Morning visits between October and February offer pleasant weather.
• Doors open around 3:15 AM and close in intervals through the evening.