Guruvayur is one of the most important and holiest pilgrim centers of Kerala, attracting thousands of pilgrims from all parts of the Country. The main attraction is a temple dedicated to Lord Sree Krishna known as 'Guruvayurappan'. According to legend, when Lord Sree Krishna left this world, his golden city Dwarka was submerged in the ocean. At that time, an idol of the Lord was saved from the drowning city of Dwarka by the Guru of the Gods and with the help of Vayu, the god of wind, brought to Kerala. As the sacred idol was brought here by the combined efforts of the Guru and Vayu, the Lord here is called Guruvayurappan. It is at this temple that Melpattur Narayana Bhattathiri composed his renowned Sanskrit devotional poem Narayaneeyam.

The temple is built in the typical Kerala temple style. There are two entrances for the temple. The Kizhekke Nada or the Eastern entrance and the Patinjare Nada (Western entrance). In the 'chuttambalam' (outer enclosure of the main temple), there are two small temples for sub deities Lord Sastha and Bhagavathy. The 33 meter high golden 'kodimaram' (flag mast), is also located in the chuttambalam. The entrance to the Nalambalam or the inner sanctum lies just beyond this. The walls of the nalambalam are decorated with arrays of small oil lit lamps, which is a splendid spectacle when lit in the evenings. Within the Nalambalam are ten finely carved pillars on two raised platforms one on either side of the passage. Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiri, an ardent devotee of Guruvayoorappan, sat here, while composing 'Narayaneeyam', a massive Sanskrit poem of 1,036 slokas (verses). The walls of the 'sreekovil' (sanctum sanctroum) is decorated with mural paintings and the roof is gold covered. The idol of Guruvayoorappan is carved out of 'pathalanjana sila', and is decorated with jewels and golden ornaments. On the south west corner there is small shrine dedicated to Vinayaka ( Ganapathi). Next comes the beautiful sculpture of Ananthasayanam ( Lord reclining on the serpant ) on the west side of nalambalam. The passage on the northern side of the nalambalam is used by the devotees for exit after darshan. There is also a small idol of Anjaneya ( Hanuman ) on the northern wall of the nalambalam.

 

Divinity of the place.
Guruvayoor assumed its divinity on account of the tapas performed by Siva and the Prachetas in the Rudra theertha (sacred tank of the temple) where lord Guruvayoorappan does his arattu (holy bath). Under the waters of Rudratheertha Siva was worshipping Maha Vishnu. To this place came Prachetas, the sons of king Pracheenabarhis, to observe tapas for the darshan of Maha Vishnu. Sensing the motive of the Prachetas Siva came up from the under the waters of Rudratheertha and imparted to them the Rudrageetha in praise of Maha Vishnu. Prachetas continued their tapas for ten thousand years at the end of which Maha Vishnu appeared before them and, as desired by them, adorned them with a virtuous son Dakshaprajapathy.

Divinity of the idol.
Unlike many other temples with stone idols, the idol of the Guruvayoor temple is carved out of Pathalanjana sila and hence considered to be extremely divine. The idol was once worshipped by the Supreme God Vishnu himself in Vaikunda. Vishnu handed it over to Brahma and the idol changed hands from Brahma to Sutapas, Sutapas to Kasyapa, Kasyapa to Vasudeva and finally reached Sree Krishna. Sree Krishna kept it in Dwaraka and worshipped it. At the time of his ascension to Heaven, Sree Krishna directed Uddhava to tell Brihaspathy, the Guru of Devas, to take the idol and install it in a proper place where people could worship and get salvation in Kaliyuga.

Divinity of the installation.
Guru - Brihaspathy- helped by Vayu - the god of air - went round the world in search of a suitable place for the installation of the idol and finally reached the Rudratheertha, where Siva was doing tapas. Siva told them that this place, where he had been doing penance for the last so many yugas was the most sacred place for the installation of the idol. It was here that the Prachetas had their tapas and it was from here that Siva rendered Rudrageetha to them. Siva expressed his readiness to leave this place and reside with Parvathy on the opposite bank at Mammiyoor. As directed by Siva, Guru and Vayu performed the installation, in the presence of Parasu Rama and the place later came to be known by their name, Guruvayoor. As the idol was once worshipped by Maha Vishnu in Vaikunda, Guruvayoor is considered to be Bhooloka Vaikunda, the heaven of heavens on  earth.