The origins of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple are shrouded in mystery, making it difficult to pinpoint when and by whom the original idol was consecrated. The temple is mentioned in various Epics and Puranas; for instance, the Srimad Bhagavatha records that Balarama visited the temple, bathed in Padmatheertham, and made offerings. Nammalwar, a 9th-century poet and one of the twelve Vaishnavite saints of the Alvar tradition, composed ten hymns in honor of Lord Padmanabha. Scholars like the late Dr. L.A. Ravi Varma of Travancore have suggested that the temple was founded on the first day of Kali Yuga, over 5,000 years ago.
Legends about the temple have been passed down through generations. One such legend, found in ancient palm leaf manuscripts and in the well-known text “Ananthasayana Mahatmya,” tells of the temple being consecrated by a Tulu Brahmin hermit named Divakara Muni. A reinstallation of the idol took place in the 950th year of Kali Yuga, followed by the construction of the Abhisravana Mandapam by King Kotha Marthandan in the 960th year. The principal deity, Vishnu, is depicted in the “Anantha Shayanam” posture, representing eternal yogic sleep on the serpent Adisheshan.
Sree Padmanabhaswamy serves as the tutelary deity of the Travancore royal family, with the titular Maharaja Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma acting as the temple’s trustee. The city of Thiruvananthapuram, named in Malayalam, translates to “The City of Lord Ananta,” honoring the deity of the Padmanabhaswamy Temple.
