Kerala Guruvayur Temple: On 8 September, 334 marriages were conducted in the Guruvayur temple in Kerala, which is a record. What is the specialty of this temple and why getting married here is considered extremely auspicious, let’s know about it.
Guruvayur Temple is considered a symbol of divinity among South Indian Hindus. Guruvayur is locally known as ‘Gurupavanapuri’, and is a sacred pilgrimage site and a holy destination for weddings. With mythology and traditions associated with the holy land, the famous Sri Krishna Temple of Guruvayur is the main venue where a large number of weddings are performed.
Holy Moley
Sri Krishna Temple, Guruvayur is considered to be the most sacred place for marriage. This temple is around 5000 years old and houses the holy idol of Lord Krishna or ‘Guruvayurappan’. This temple is considered to be the ‘holy abode of Krishna on earth’. People from all over South India and especially Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh visit this temple to seek the blessings of the Lord.
Booking months in advance
The temple has several mandaps for weddings and bookings have to be made months in advance. On normal auspicious days, 50 to 100 weddings take place daily at the Shri Krishna Mandir. During peak times, the number easily crosses 200. Only close family members are allowed inside the mandaps. This time, a maximum of 24 people have been allowed in each wedding ceremony, including photographers.
Marriage in 3 to 7 minutes
Each ceremony lasts only 3-7 minutes and immediately the couple and family must vacate the place for the next wedding. The Sri Krishna Temple in Guruvayur is crowded throughout the year, but the maximum crowd is during the Chingam or wedding months of August and September.
what is the reason
Guruvayur temple is considered a very holy place. It is believed that marriages performed in the temple last forever. Guruvayur is a place where marriages between castes can take place freely. The temple treats all castes as equals and performs rituals accordingly. Many people come to the temple to offer prasad and perform ‘nercha’. A ritual of lifelong satisfaction is performed in Guruvayur temple.
What is the system
– Booking for marriage in the temple has to be done 30 days in advance.
– Marriage tickets and photography tickets have to be purchased from the advance counter of the temple at the rate of one thousand rupees.
– There is a fee of Rs 100 for thali puja inside the temple.
– The bride can wear any kind of saree. There is no dress code for the groom.
– Two photographers and two videographers are allowed with each party on the temple wedding stage.
– Tulsi garland is given by the temple at the time of marriage. Mantras are chanted in the wedding mandap and Nadaswaram is performed. Mangalsutra is tied in the mandap and the bride and groom exchange Tulsi garlands. The groom holds the bride’s hand and circles the lamp in the mandap to complete the ritual.
