Sreekanteswaram Temple in Thiruvananthapuram Kerala

Sreekanteswaram Temple or Srikanteswaram Temple is one of the most popular Shiva Temples in Kerala, situated at Sreekanteswaram, around 1 km from East Fort, in Thiruvananthapuram. Lord Shiva is worshipped here in the form of a Shiva Lingam facing east. Lord Shiva is known by the names Sreekanteswaran (the lord of Sreekanteswaram), Mahadeva, Kailasanatha, and Gowri Shankara. The temple also has separate shrines of Sree Mahaganapathy (Ganesha), Sree Dharmasastha (Swamy Ayyappa), Sree Nagaraja, Sree Murugan (Lord Subramanya), Sree Krishna and Sree Anjaneya (Lord Hanuman). The holy pond is seen on the eastern side of the temple. Sreekanteswaram Temple is situated to the south-west of the Pazhaya Sreekanteswaram Temple (Old Sreekanteswaram Temple) in Trivandrum.

Temple Timings

Sreekanteswaram Temple opens daily from 4 AM to 12 PM and from 5 PM to 8.30 PM.

More details about Temple Pooja Timings and Rituals Here

Legend of Sreekanteswaram Temple

According to the popular legend, there was an old sweeper-maid who worked in Pazhaya Sreekanteswaram Temple. She used to take rest after the work under the shade of a tree, keeping the broom and the pot called Kalayakkudam beside her. One day when she tried to lift the pot, it did not move and she tried to break the pot using a stone. All of a sudden, she found that the pot was bleeding. It is said that Lord Shiva gave darshan to the old lady in the form of Swayambhu Shiva Lingam. A temple was built on the spot and later it is called as Sreekanteswaram Temple.

Sreekanteswaram Temple Festivals

Thiruvathira Mahotsavam - The annual festival of Sreekanteswaram is the Thiruvathira Mahotsavam is held during the Malayalam month of Dhanu (March – April). This ten day festival starts with the hoisting of the temple flag called Thirukkodiyettu. The 9th day of the festival is the Pallivetta (royal hunt). Adryadarshan is on the 10th day morning. Magnificent processions and special rituals are held on all the ten Thiruvathira Mahotsavam festival days.

Maha Shivarathri Festival - Shivaratri Festival is another major festival celebrated at Sreekanteswaram Temple in a grand scale in the Malayalam month of Kumbham. During the Shivrathri festival, devotees circumambulate the temple 108 times chanting the mantras and stotras of Shiva. The deity is carried out in procession on the silver Rishabhavahana at 3 am. This procession is conducted only on the 5th day of temple festival and during Shivaratri.

Temple Contact Address

Sreekanteswaram Temple
Fort Post Office
Trivandrum - 695023
Kerala
Telephone Number - 0471-2472233

How to reach Thiruvananthapuram?

Sreekanteswaram Shiva Temple is just 2 km from Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway Station, one of the major railway stations in Kerala.

The nearest long distance bus station is Trivandrum Central Bus Station, which is located opposite to Trivandrum Central Railway Station.

The City Bus Station at East Fort is just 1 km from Sreekanteswaram Temple.

Nearby Places of Worship in Thiruvananthapuram

Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple - The ancient Sree Anantha Padmanabhaswamy Temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu in Thiruvananthapuram is situated at a walking distance from Sreekanteswaram Temple.

Pazhavangadi Ganapathi Temple - Pazhavangadi Ganapati Temple is a famous Lord Ganesh temple situated very close to Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple.

Attukal Devi Temple – The world famous Attukal Bhagavati Temple dedicated to Goddess Attukal Amma (an incarnation of Goddess Parvati Devi) is around 2 km from Sreekanteswaram Temple. Famous as the ‘Sabarimala of Women’, the annual festival of Attukal Pongala held at Attukal Bhagavathi Temple attracts lakhs of devotees which made it listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the World’s largest religious gathering of women.

Other Tourist Attractions in and around Thiruvananthapuram

The Capital of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram or Trivandrum, holds a number of tourist spots for local travellers as well as international tourists. Some of the famous tourist attractions in Trivandrum include Kuthiramalika Palace Museum (situated near Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple), Napier Museum, Sree Chitra Art Gallery, Thiruvananthapuram Zoo, Shanghumughom Beach or Shangumugam Beach (8 km), Kovalam Beach (13 km), and Veli Lagoon (11 km), Akkulam Tourist village (10 km), Agastyakoodam or Agastya Mala (61 km – prior permission will be required), and Kilimanoor Palace (50 km). Full list of the major tourist attractions in Trivandrum here.