Spiritual Tourism V - Heavens on Earth

Like the famous Lourdes, Guruvayur is known for its legends and
effectiveness. This is where the great poet Melpathur wrote a treatise on
the Lord ( the Narayaneeyam ). Guruvayur was also adorned by the Poet
Laureate, Poontanam, who compose the Jnanapana, a great poem in Malayalam.

The great poet defined the Cosmic Man or the Lord thus

That which is Timeless and Spaceless
That which is eternally Free
That which is the Aim of all sciences divine
That which is the Alpha and the Omega
That which is All in All,
To that Principle Divine, I bow !

The Condensed Absolut Being, Absolute Knowledge, Absolute Bliss is the Lord,
who sports in the garden of the Upanishads !

His Destructive Form as Time Eternal, as the Zodiac, was defined by the poet
thus

With 12 wheels and 360 degrees
With speed supernal, cruel ,
To disseminate Karma to all,
Thy True Form is Time !

Legend has it that Jupiter, Guru and Saturn, Vayu chose this place to
incarnate. The Seers predicted that this place will become a Heaven on
Earth, attracting pilgrims the world over. The great philosopher, Sankara,
worshipped the Lord at this temple. Most of the VIPs of the world, the
Indian PM, CMs etc have all graced this temple

The worlds's largest elephant sanctuary is here at Guruvayur, housing as
many as 62 elephants. Most of these elephants were given as offerings to the
Lord.

After describing the Indescribable, the poet asked for the Lord's
forgiveness.

Defining Deity in terms of humanity, is like defining the Center in terms
of the Circumference !

In Ignorance I have defined Thee
Lord forgive, my body spake !
I defined the Indefinable
I spoke about the Ineffable
For that guilt O Lord,
Please forgive my frailties !

The poet appreciates the Form of the Lord, instead of the Formless Absolute

It is in Thy Form
That Thee revealed to me
That Form is greater than all,
Even though Thy Form is Unmanifest !

The Birthday of the Lord

How can the Birthless and the Deathless, the Eternal Principle, have a
birthday? This philosophical problem is solved thus. In Bridal Mysticism,
where the Self is the Lover, Self is the Bride, a human form is given to the
Divine. This is anthropomorphisation. He is the Consort in the form of the
Ishta Devata or Tutelary Deity !

The Birthday of the Lord of Guruvayur falls on the 8th lunation ( Ashtami ,
on the asterism Rohini !

The Elephant Race

On the first day of the Festival, which was on 23rd Kumbham ( Aquarius ), 20
elephants run a race. The Ninth day is Pallivetta, when the Lord goes
hunting. The Tenth Day is Arattu, when the Lord takes bath in the Temple
pond, witnessed by millions !

Guruvayur is just 30 Kms away from Trichur, which is just 50 kms from Kochin
Airport. You can get buses or trains to Guruvayur. Travel is jsut 40 minutes
from Trichur.

Guruvayur figures amongst the top ten places for Religious Tourism, as far as
income is concerned. They are in order

Vatican
Mecca
Tirupathi
Guruvayur
Sabarimala