Guruvayur

Guruvayoor temple and its grounds are one of a kind. There are two entrances called Nadas, the East Nada and the West Nada. Each Nada leads to the temple. The walk from the entrance to the temple is lined with shops that sell all the things that characterise Kerala. You'll be able to find the Kerala saree, the famous brass lamps, kathakali show pieces etc. in these shops. The turmeric and papad sold in these shops are also of good quality. The temple ground also has a stage facing the temple where musical and dance performances are held. It is a considered a matter of high fortune and honour to be able to perform there. Prominent artists of Kerala like Yesudas and Manju Warrier have performed here.

The queue to enter the temple starts outside the temple itself. On the least crowded day, it'll take you an hour to reach in front of the deity. There are times, very rare though when you can enter and exit in half an hour. But those chances come by luck. Guruvayoor temple is very strict about maintaining the sanctity of the temple and there are few rules to be followed. There's a checking done at the main entrance and if you're breaking any of the rules, you'll be asked to leave the queue, rectify the mistake and join at the end of the queue again. There are different kinds of poojas and archanas done from dawn to dusk. They keep changing the clothes of the deity from morning till evening to depict Lord Krishna growing in age as the day progresses. So, in the morning you'll see the deity in the form Bal Krishna and in the evening, the deity will be dressed as a King.

Guruvayur is a known for being one of the most famous pilgrimage sites amongst Hindus. It ranks fourth in India in terms of the number of people who visit the temple every year.