Varkala Temple Information - Festival – Varkala Sree Janardhana Swamy Temple Rituals - Gods Worshipped

Varkala Sree Janardhana Swamy Temple is an ancient Vishnu temple located at Varkala in Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala. The 10-day annual festival in the temple is observed in such a way that it ends with Arattu on the Uthram nakshatra day in Meenam month.

The festival starts with Kodiyettam or temple flag hoisting and ends with arattu procession of five caparisoned elephants.

Kathakali is performed in the temple at night on the fourth and fifth day of the festival.

The main murti worshipped in the temple is four-armed Vishnu – Chaturbahu Vishnu –who faces east. The murti is nearly 6 feet tall along with the peedam. The murti holds shankh, chakram, gada and theertha kumbham. Bhudevi and Sridevi are also worshipped in the temple.

The hand holding teertha kumbham of the murti is raised towards the mouth. The belief is that Kali Yuga will come to and when Vishnu drinks from the theertha kumbham.

It is believed that during ancient times the murti of Vishnu was discovered from the sea on the south side of the temple.

The Upa Devatas worshipped in the temple are Sastha, Ganapathy, Ananthakrishnan (Nagam), Shiva, Hanuman, Chandikeshwara and Nagas.

The roof of circular sanctum sanctorum – vatta sreekovil – is covered with copper sheets. The temple has bali peetha and mandapa with carvings of Navagrahas.

Varkala Temple is believed to be more than 2000 years old. It is believed that the temple was visited by Balarama during his southern sojourn.

Thousands of Hindus perform the annual Shradham ritual to departed ancestors on the Karkidaka Vavu Bali day which falls on Amavasya in Karkidakam month.