The Padmanabhaswami temple is the main landmark of Thiruvananthapuram. Thiruvananthapuram itself derives its name from Tiru-Ananta-puram, which means the place of the sacred serpent, Ananta or Adi-sesha on which the Lord Padmanabha reclines. About the temple it can be said that standing on an elevated part of the town and with its lofty eastern gopuram rising seven storeys high with a curious pagoda effect at its peak.

It is architecturally the most notable of temples in Kerala with both the indigenous style and the features of Dravidian architecture harmoniously blended. No one knows when this temple was built-one legend traces it back to 3000 B.C. An engraved inscription in Sanskrit and Malayalam characters on the base of the mandapa inside reveals that the temple was reconstructed from the Vimana down and the work had started in 1729 A.D, Indeed, most of what is seen today within the temple walls is attributed to Marthanda Varma, the maker of modern Travancore.

In the temple of Padmanabhaswami the darshan of the deity is through three doors in a row the face on the southern side, the sacred feet on the northern side and the nabhi (navel) in the middle from which appears Brahma. It is the majestic Narayana whom Bhagavata describes as being absorbed in the yoganidra, reclining on the great serpent Adishesha, and the one who creates all the three worlds.

The temple stands on an elevated part of the town. It encloses an area of 25,700 sq. feet or about 7 acres. It faces east and is surrounded by massive fort walls. A handsome flight of stone-steps on the eastern side shows the gentle eminence of the temple site, the front portion of which is covered by a huge gopura or tower pyramidal in shape and it is built of granite and brick on the model of the lofty gopuras towards the east coast temples.

Padmanabhaswami Temple is also known for its wonderful sculptures. The stone basement of the tower is covered with elaborate sculptures. Various parts of the temple are filled with ornamental work of Puranic figures, the top having seven gold steeples or turrets. Even some of the construction details of the temple are bigger than the imagination.

The mandapa was also used for feeding a large number of Brahmins every day. At the four points of this oblong corridor, but not connected with it, stand four stone platforms, from which people witness the God`s procession during the important festivals in the temple.

Legends of Padmanabhaswami Temple
The story of the temple as handed down through the centuries in the form of legends also indicates that it is one of great antiquity. Anantasayana Mahatmya as also some old palm-leaf records of the temple contain one such legend. According to this, the temple is said to have been set up by a Tulu Brahmin hermit named Divakara Muni on the 950th day of Kaliyuga.

Divakara Muni, a great devotee of Lord Vishnu, was doing penance and tapas in `Aatharta` desa. One day Maha-vishnu appeared before him in the form of a beautiful child. The sanyasi was taken up with the charms of the divine child and requested him to stay with him. The child agreed but on one condition that the sage would never get upset with him. The hermit agreed and tolerated all the childish pranks of the little boy.

But one day, while Divakara Muni was in meditation the child took the `salagram` which he was worshipping and put it into his mouth and made such a nuisance of him that the Muni chastised him. The child immediately ran away and disappeared saying, "If you wish to see me again you will find me in Anantankadu, the forest of Ananta."

The sage was inconsolable and followed the child for several days without food or rest. Finally, he reached a wooded area near the sea coast and saw the child vanishing into a tree. Immediately, the tree fell to the ground assuming the shape of a recumbent Maha-vishnu. The divine form was nearly 13 km. long, having his head at Xiruvallam and its feet at Trippapur.

Overawed by the majesty and the size of the divine form which manifested itself before him, the sanyasi prayed that the Lord condense himself in size so that it would be possible for him to see Him within his limited field of vision and offer puja. Accordingly, Bhagawan Vishnu shrank in size and ordained that pujas to Him should be conducted by Tulu Brahmins from the same part of the country from where Divakara Muni had hailed. To this day half the number of pujaris in this temple continued to be drawn from the Tulu country in Karnataka.

Another generally accepted version of the origin of the temple relates to the Vilwamangalathu Swamiyar whose name is linked with the history of several temples in Kerala. This legend is almost identical with the Divakara Muni story. It is said that the Swami, a great Krishna bhakta, while offering prayers to his favourite deity used to close his eyes in meditation. Once, when he did so, a child annoyed him by disarranging the articles of his worship. And when the sage opened his eyes he disappeared. Enraged at the prank, he gave a blow to the child while his eyes were closed. At this, the child who was none other than Vishnu Himself ran away saying that he could be found only in the forest of Ananta.

The Swami did not know the place. He went in search of it. On the way, he heard a mother chastising her crying baby that if it did not stop crying she would throw him away in Anantan Kadu (Kadu meaning forest). The sage enquired of the mother the route to Anantankadu and went there. As soon as he reached the place, he heard the crash of a big tree and there the Lord Vishnu was lying on a thousand-headed snake in a big form.

Administration of Padmanabhaswami Temple
As far as the administration of the temple is concerned it can be said that today, though the Maharajas are no longer the rulers, the temple continues to be owned by the erstwhile princely family. Due to the changed circumstances, changes in expenditure and changes in external paraphernalia and trappings and in the hereditary duties and functions of temple staff had to be effected. Care is, however, taken to ensure that the daily rites, rituals and duties are not affected they are still conducted strictly according to the sayings of the shastras.

History says that members of the princely family have been traditionally devotees of the Lord Padmanabha. Umayamma Rani, the grandmother of Marthanda Varma during her reign (1677-84) saw to it that the daily rites and festivals of the temple were properly conducted. While she stayed at the capital she would go every day to the shrine to make her obeisance and never took her food before the noonday worship. And it is on record that once she had to forgo it altogether as, for some reasons; the noonday worship could not be performed. The tradition continues even today.

As far as the festivals of the temple are concerned two festivals are held annually in the temple of Padmanabhaswami Temple.