UNIQUENESS
"Tiruvananthapuram. What a sonorous name! How mellifluous are its syllables!! What an enchantment its casts!!! Listen to the measured flow of its liquid cadences. Don't they-resemble the basic sounds, of musicology? Is it not an ace composition? Further the repetition, higher the thrill, the physical frame experiences. Now look at its distorted, twisted, defiled, Anglicised form Trivandrum. Oh! it assails the eardrums with the harsh clatter of a crashing tin, when tread upon. Anon the hands go up unconsciously to close the ears. A standing proof of foreign contact!

Tiruvananthapuram -the old name of Trivandrum, like a gold mine exhilarates the heart and feasts the ears, at its mere mention. In the past or present. Such is the sweet music of this holy city, the august seat of Ananthapadmanabhaswamy. As is its melody, so is its glory. Nay, much more. For theists, the temple is a heaven; Vaishnavates, a Bhutalaswarga; the Maharajas of Travancore, the most venerated private Puja Mandir cum durbar hall, presided over by Sri Ananthapadmanabhaswamy to guiding their every movement, though appears in yoganidra - deep sleep reclining on the thousand headed, comfortably-coiled soft, supple fleecy lithesome body of Adisesha, he is ever wakeful to the goings-on in and out of the palace. 

The sacred name Tiruvananthapuram admits two meaningful interpretations. It means the place of Anantha – the divine serpent couch of Sri Mahavishnu. As `Ananta’ is one of the holy names of Lord Vishnu, it applies equally to that Highest Divinity also. So it is the abode of both Adisesha and it is creator Adinarayana. Being the seat of Ananthapadmanabhaswamy, in his yoganidra posture -lying on the serpent of Anantha, this thirtha kshetra has many enviable plus pints, responsible for luring theists in thousands throughout the year. It is this Ananthapadmanabhaswamy, who shrank from his 13 Km long form to present 10 feet length at the request of Divakara Muni; it is this temple, which is so firmly entwined with the fortunes of the kings of Travancore that they styled themselves as the Padmanabhadasas, after dedicating their entire kingdom to the deity in the true spirit of scriptural injunctions; it is to this "Divinity, Tulu brahmin priests alone are appointed according to divine command for performing pujas; it is this holy kshetra called Sayanadorapuram in Dwaparayuga, when Balarama visited during his Bhupradakshana, and was thriving then as a great centre of pilgrimage; it is to here, of all the shrines in the world the presiding deity is to be seen through three doors -face from the southern door, feet from the Northern and Nabhi from the middle door; it is to the making of the imposing temple flag staff, elephants performed a colossal feat of transporting the huge teak wood log without allowing it touch the ground all along from a distance 45 Km forest to the temple; it is this holy kshetra visited by many illustrious Vaishnavite saints like Nammalwar etc; it is this sacred place, elaborately described in the Skanda and Padma puranas as a highly venerated thirtha along with others like Venkatadri, Mathura etc, of immense of spiritual significance; it is this shrine's Uttupura -free feeding centres that fed thousands of brahmins throughout the year for centuries; it is this temple that withstood the onslaughts of iconoclasts several times, and emerged in greater splendour soon after the clashes were hushed; it is this temple that has been preserving old traditions in their pristine form, despite a tremendous western impact on the adorers, and it is the biggest, holiest and grandest of the Kerala temples sculpturally, architecturally, historically and reputably too. 

        Wrapped up thus in ethereal glory; founded on holy traditions, backed by royal patronage; eulogised in the scriptures, embedded in inscriptions, adored by saint-poets, this celebrated. Anantha Padmanabhaswamy shrine is dazzling like a diamond pendent in the necklace adorned by the Goddess of Kerala. Its rich past affords a sumptuous feast to the ears, eyes, minds and souls of the asthika community of our Punya Bharat right from its inception to the present day.

ANTIQUITY
Among the sacred books eulogising the greatness of this thirtha, Ananthasayana Mahatmya gives an exhaustive account of its origin; though the Mahabharata and Sethu Mahatmya make some references to its antiquity. According to it this region was once a thick forest, fit for penance and parnasalas. A great Vaishnavite saint by name Divakara Muni was doing penance, here with an extraordinary ardour. To put him to test, Sri Mahavishnu appeared before him as a child of unearthly charms. Delighted at the lovely sight, and enraptured by his enchanting comely form, going near he fondled and caressed him like that of a doting mother. The child too reacted favourably. And then the sage requested the new – found boy to remain with him forever. The child nodded his head, but on one condition that the sage should never abuse, or lose temper at his antics and pranks. The sage smilingly agreed and brought him up with unbounded affection out stepping even that of mothers. But one day-a fortunate day for the world, as it were, the child taking the sacred saligramam put into his mouth and started, babbling and stammering loudly. Seeing him desecrating the sacred object, the sage lost his temper and chastised him mildly. Taking the mild scolding for wild lashing, he ran away saying, "You broke the promise. So I cannot remain with you. If you want to see me, you come to Anantakadu". Realising the folly, and unable to bear the separation, this disconsolate sage went in search of Ananthakadu. For days and nights sans food and water, the penitent Muni searched and searched. At long last, he neared the seashore and found his darling boy beside a big tree. In his ecstatic rapture, he ran to grab that gold mine. Alas! the child vanished into the tree. No sooner did he reach it, than the tree fell down and assumed the shape of recumbent Mahavishnu. To his shock and surprise he found that grand form incredibly huge -13 Km long, having his head at Tiruvallam and feet at Trippapur, the two modern towns lying to the North and South of the temple with 13 Km distance between them. The petrified sage prayed to the Lord to reduce himself to a convenient size for performing pujas. His appeal being reasonable, the Lord at once shrank to the present size and ordained that for the conduct of prayer services only Tulu brahmins be employed. It was indeed an especial honour to the sage; for, he hailed only from that place. When the sage announced the sports of the Lord, philanthropists and asthikas came in large numbers and started building temple with mini- shrines for Parivaradevathas etc. with such infinite enthusiasm that in a few years it attracted lakhs of persons. As the Lord too denied nothing to the genuine devotees, the fame spread far and wide. And what about the royal patronage? It is equal to none but to itself. Hence the development of the temple in all directions in a few decades.  

BILWASMANGALA SWAMY EPISODE

        There is another version popular in this region. Although it is identical -much in common with the story of Daivakara Muni regarding the finding of the recumbent form of the Lord, it differs in certain respects. This generally accepted version substitutes the popular Bilwamangala Swamiji for Dwaraka Muni and attributes the glory of the temple to his extra ordinary spiritual powers. It begins - the Swamiji was a great Krishna Bhatka and his austere life was a model to Vaishnavates. His routine prayers and meditation were of a superior type -he used to absorb himself in meditation for hours. Once his dhyana samadhi was disturbed by a comely kid in shorts - all the articles of worship were scattered with great notice. It caused him annoyance. He opened his eyes to chastise, but where was that chubby- cheeked mischievous naughty boy? Disappeared! Swallowing the anger, he again sat in meditation. Yet once again, the same disarraying of articles and the same crashing sound. Incensed highly, he gave a blow to the child without even opening his eyes. Heard he then to his shock, "I will not see you hereafter; if you want, you can see me only in the forest of Ananta". The Swamiji only realised that it was Sri Krishna who annoyed him twice, At once he ran in search of his Daivam, for days and days. His long search took him through forests and plains, but the goal was not sighted.

         As luck would have it, he heard an angry mother threatening her darling son that she would throw him into Anantakadu, if he persisted naughtiness. Surprised at the mention of Anantakadu, the Swamiji implored the mother to direct him to that Anantakadu. When enlightened, he at once proceeded faster than his mind, as it were. When he reached this place, where the present temple stands, he heard the ear -splitting sounds of a crashing tree. On reaching the spot, to his rapturous joy, he found Sri Mahavishnu lying on the Sahasrasirsha Nagendra. And lo! he was dumb founded at the enormity of the 13 Km long size of the Lord. He earnestly requested the Lord to diminish himself to a convenient size for enabling him to perform pujas; he obliged. And it is the self same size, the devotees now see in the temple through three doors. Moreover, the very same wood of the fallen tree was utilised for making the icon of the Lord, and it was worshipped for centuries till the Maharaja Marthandavarma's accession to the throne in 1729 A:D., when there was thorough renovation of the temple including that of Lord's image.  

THE PULAYA EPISODE

        Yet there is one more legend tracing the origin of the temple. According to it there was a primeval forest in the area, where the present temple stands. Amidst that thick forest, there lived then a Pulaya, engaged in agricultural occupations. One day his wife heard by chance the cry of a baby of divine appearance and unusual charm. The babe was so lovely and splendid in countenance that she dared not touch it without bath. Finding none to fed nor claims it, she suckled the babe and left it under the shade of a green tree for sometime. When she came back, ah! What did she see there? She could not believe her eyes; for, she found a five- headed serpent sheltering the babe with its five-hooded form, from the blazing heat of the sun.  

        When the wonder ceased, she communicated this miracle to her neighbours. It reached the king of Travancore in no time. Deeming the place very auspicious, he ordered a temple to be built at the exact spot. And it slowly gained popularity on account of the miracles demonstrated, by the presiding deity and boons showered on the adorers. Whatever may be the origin, however the place was spotted, and through whomsoever it was brought to light, one thing is certain, it was the place most dear to Srimannarayana, and fittest for tranquil repose and leisurely relaxation. And the Lord is like an incarnation of Kalpa Vriksha -granting everything to the genuine supplicants.

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