Pradakshinam

Thiru Ananthapuram is home to many ancient temples and one of the oldest among them is  the Thrivikramangalam Mahavishnu Temple.  Hidden away in an out of the way scenic spot on the west bank of the meandering Karamana river, though well within the city limits and hardly 5 km from the central railway station or bus stand, the shrine does not get the attention it deserves from the traveller or the pilgrim. The temple dates back to the 11th-12th C. period, and in all probability was a great example of the sculptural extravagance of the era. Unlike most other temples, what is unique here is that its construction employed some ancient techniques and uncommon materials, most of which have been eroded away by the harsh weather and lack of any conservation efforts. The Department of Archaeology has declared the temple a protected monument -- but only after most of the damage was done, and the fine carvings and murals on the sanctum walls had been irrecoverably damaged. But what remai...

To the busy modern day traveller-- and the pilgrim!-- more accustomed to a fast life and "seeghra darshans" (available today at many temples), the Vaikom Mahadeva temple is sure to present a new challenge and an opportunity. Everything about the ancient temple is big, including its grand proportions, the vast eight-acre courtyard, not to speak of the 6 feet tall Siva Lingam inside the sanctum or the imposing Nandi sculpted out of a huge monolith. These days apparently we have lost the "connect" with the 'raison detre' of temples and darshans. In the olden days temple darshan was more a slow ritual, in whose performance one got the time and the occasion to unburden oneself of the mundane cares and worries of life and try and become one with the Supreme. In these days of 'instant' everything, these rituals have been condensed into a heady whirl, at the end of which you head home with machine made and packed 'prasadam' that has had no 'darsh...