Sreekanteswara Temple is situated near the Kozhikode Corporation Stadium. During a meeting held in the presence of Guru's disciple Chaitanya Swami, the need to construct a temple was raised. Chaitanya Swami himself performed the ‘Shadadhara’ (Six Bases) consecration. This concept links the chakras in the human body to six levels of consciousness.
Guru installed the Shivalinga obtained from there in the temple pond and later named it ‘Sreekanteswara’. Following the Guru's direction, the temple was constructed on the model of the Palani Murugan Temple. In a style, rarely seen in Malabar, a large pond with pavilion surrounded by water on all sides was added to the architecture.
Varkala, in the Thiruvananthapuram district, stands as a pivotal cultural centre renowned for propagating the messages of Gurudeva. Narayana Guru himself named the hill to the east of the Varkala tunnel 'Sivagiri’. Within Sivagiri, the temple dedicated to the Goddess of Knowledge is known as Sharada Mutt, a consecration that distinctly diverges from all his others. Here, one observes a more refined approach to worship. The Sharada Consecration, performed in 1912, significantly marked the beginning of the second phase of Guru's consecration activities.
In stark contrast to the Tantric rituals prevalent in temples of that era, the Sharada Mutt deliberately excluded traditional offerings, elaborate processions, and grand festivals. Instead, a symbolic representation of the Goddess of Knowledge, seated on a lotus, was consecrated. Notably, the Ninth Anniversary of the S.N.D.P. and the Sharada consecration coincided, sharing the same occasion.
It was in connection with the Sharada consecration that Guru composed the profound hymn, ‘Janani Navaratna Manjari’. Before commencing construction of the Sharada Mutt, Guru meticulously reviewed images of numerous temples worldwide. He ultimately selected the temple at Constantinople as the architectural inspiration for the Mutt. The resulting Sharada Temple is an octagonal hall, adorned with multi-coloured glass panels, thoughtfully designed to maximise light and airflow. Guru emphatically stipulated that a dark sanctum sanctorum was unnecessary, insisting instead on windows on all sides to ensure ample light and ventilation.
Following the Sharada consecration, a perceptible shift in Guru's perspective on the temple concept becomes evident. The Sharada Mutt is uniquely structured to facilitate devotees in chanting hymns and meditating. Indeed, the practical embodiment of the philosophy that 'Knowledge is God' finds its ultimate expression in the Sharada Consecration.
