The Janardana Swamy Temple

The Janardhana Temple is said to be 2000 years old and has a Vishnu shrine. One cannot miss the age-old Sree Janardana Swamy Temple at Varkala which attracts a great number of devotees from all over the country. Sree Janardana Swamy Temple is located about two km. west of Varkala railway station (on the Trivandrum-Quilon line) atop a hill on the coast.

The Janardhana Temple varkala is said to be 2000 years old and has a lord Vishnu shrine. It is said that the original temple was engulfed and destroyed by tidal waves. Years later, a Pandyan king came to the site to do penance to Brahma for a sin he committed. The Lord pardoned the king and in return, asked the king to build another temple at the same site. The story goes that in a dream he was informed of the location of the original idol that was lying deep in the sea. With help of fishermen, the king reclaimed the idol and reinstalled it in the temple The legend also says that brahma appeared and completed the rituals.

Sree Janardana is said to have brought the holy Ganga here with the help of the 'Sudarasana Chakra'. The holy water collected is now known as Chakra Tirtha. The water used for the temple is from this source. It is widely believed that worship at this shrine cures many ills which explains why devotees come here from all over the country and even abroad including non-Hindus. The chief offering made is mukhacharthu and muzhukappu i.e. decorating the face and whole body respectively with sandal paste.

In Sree Janardana Swamy Temple there painted images of Lord Hanuman in various poses.Hanuman, the Hindu monkey god of power and strength, helped Lord Rama (a re-incarnation of Lord Vishnu) to rescue his wife Sita from the demon king Ravana.

Sree Janardana Swamy Temple is located close to the Papanasam beach at Varkala on the beach road, 3 km west of Kallambalam on NH 47.

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