Sreekanteswaram Temple, Located in Thiruvananthapuram is a famous temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. There is another temple by the name “Pazhaya Sreekanteswaram” near Overbridge, Thiruvananthapuram. Pazhaya Sreekanteswaram temple is mentioned in the Mathilakam Records.
Srikanteswaram Temple is one of the most popular Shiva Temples in Kerala, situated at Sreekanteswaram, around 1 km from East Fort, in Thiruvananthapuram. Lord Shiva is worshipped here in the form of a Shiva Lingam facing east. Lord Shiva is known by the names Sreekanteswaran (the lord of Sreekanteswaram), Mahadeva, Kailasanatha, and Gowri Shankara. The temple also has separate shrines of Sree Mahaganapathy (Ganesha), Sree Dharmasastha (Swamy Ayyappa), Sree Nagaraja, Sree Murugan (Lord Subramanya), Sree Krishna and Sree Anjaneya (Lord Hanuman). The holy pond is seen on the eastern side of the temple. Sreekanteswaram Temple is situated to the south-west of the Pazhaya Sreekanteswaram Temple (Old Sreekanteswaram Temple) in Trivandrum.
Legend of Sreekanteswaram Temple
According to the popular legend, there was an old sweeper-maid who worked in Pazhaya Sreekanteswaram Temple. She used to take rest after the work under the shade of a tree, keeping the broom and the pot called Kalayakkudam beside her. One day when she tried to lift the pot, it did not move and she tried to break the pot using a stone. All of a sudden, she found that the pot was bleeding. It is said that Lord Shiva gave darshan to the old lady in the form of Swayambhu Shiva Lingam. A temple was built on the spot and later it is called as Sreekanteswaram Temple.
Sreekanteswaram Temple Festivals
Thiruvathira Mahotsavam – The annual festival of Sreekanteswaram is the Thiruvathira Mahotsavam is held during the Malayalam month of Dhanu (March – April). This ten day festival starts with the hoisting of the temple flag called Thirukkodiyettu. The 9th day of the festival is the Pallivetta (royal hunt). Adryadarshan is on the 10th day morning. Magnificent processions and special rituals are held on all the ten Thiruvathira Mahotsavam festival days.
Maha Shivarathri Festival – Shivaratri Festival is another major festival celebrated at Sreekanteswaram Temple in a grand scale in the Malayalam month of Kumbham. During the Shivrathri festival, devotees circumambulate the temple 108 times chanting the mantras and stotras of Shiva. The deity is carried out in procession on the silver Rishabhavahana at 3 am. This procession is conducted only on the 5th day of temple festival and during Shivaratri.
Temple Contact Address
Sreekanteswaram Temple
Fort Post Office
Trivandrum – 695023
Kerala
Telephone Number – 0471-2472233
How to reach Thiruvananthapuram?
Sreekanteswaram Shiva Temple is just 2 km from Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway Station, one of the major railway stations in Kerala.
The nearest long distance bus station is Trivandrum Central Bus Station, which is located opposite to Trivandrum Central Railway Station.
The City Bus Station at East Fort is just 1 km from Sreekanteswaram Temple.
Darsan Info
Timings :
Sreekanteswaram Temple opens with Palliyunarth: 3.30 AM
Sreekanteswaram Temple closes at 12 noon
Sreekanteswaram Temple reopens for evening poojas at 5 PM
Sreekanteswaram Temple closes at 8.30 PM
Raw materials required for conducting Poojas like Kalabhabhishekam,Panchamritha Abhishekam,Sahasrakalasham,Laksharchana and Pushpabhishekam are to be brought by devotees.
Darsan Dresscode
Male devotees are not supposed to wear shirt while inside the Sreekanteswaram Temple. No special Dress code for women.