A sea of blue flowers! 

Still on the road

But the tryst with destiny is still far away from Guruvayoor, the temple town where you have reached. 

You wouldn’t be bored even for a moment weaving through the roads in Kerala as the sheer spectacles of life and culture unfolding on waysides will always keep your attention on toes. Breathtakingly beautiful places worth a visit or stay pepper all along the path that leads to the hills of Munnar.

Guruvayur
 

Sree Krishna Temple, Guruvayur

Famous as the abode of Lord Guruvayoorappa, the municipal town of Guruvayur, an hour away from the town of Thrissur, welcomes you with some invigorating spiritual experiences. 

The temple devoted to Lord Krishna that draws devotees from far and wide is believed to be 5000 years old. Legend is that Lord Krishna asked a few sages to take his idol from Dwaraka while the city was being destroyed. They had torn establish it in Kerala. Guruvayur got its name from the names of two sages Guru Brahrspathy and Vayudeva, who helped the idol get to the new place. 

For the Hindus a darsanam of Lord Guruvayoorappa on Ekadasi day (the eleventh day of every lunar fortnight) is one of the most blessed experiences in their life.  The grand elephant procession and the yearly ritual of paying homage to Guruvayur Kesava, a legendary elephant, which devoted its life to the service of Lord Krishna, are some of the traditional practices held in Guruvayur. The annual Carnatic music festival in the name of one of the titans of classical music, Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar in Guruvayur temple draws thousands of music lovers to the place. 

Punnathurkotta
Once the palace of the local ruler, Punnathurkotta is located only three kilometers from the famous temple. It is now famous for its elephant rehabilitation centre and is maintained by the Guruvayur Devaswom. 

You’d hardly know how time flies by while spending a day at the centre watching the big mammals in such close quarters. Nearly 60 elephants which are all donated by devotees to Guruvayoorappa find their home in Punathurkotta. Aanayoottu, feeding the elephants, is a spectacle worth watching especially if you’re a lover of the pachyderm. 

The exciting tales of Guruvayur Kesavan, a legend among the elephants in Kerala who lived in Punathurkotta, could bring goosebumps to a listener. 
The visiting hours are from 9.00AM to 5.00PM.

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