The town of Guruvayoor is an important destination for Hindu pilgrims and for tourists visiting Kerala. It comes in the Thissur district of Kerala, which makes up the central-western coast of the state. Guruvayoor is famous for its temples and cultural heritage, especially Sree Krishna Temple, which is the main attraction of the town.

The modern city of Guruvayoor is a municipal town, with a population of over 21,000 as per the census of 2001. The ratio of men to women in the total population, favors the female side, which is consistent with the rest of the state and same is true for the literacy rate of over 85 percent. Guruvayoor has a nickname of being the ‘Dwarka of South’ because of the Sree Krishna temple. The festivities of Guruvayoor are significant in many aspects, and apart from the religious countenance of the town, there is a rich cultural tradition. The Chembai Sangeetholsavam is one of the largest classical music festivals in India and the unique Gajapooja (or Elephant worship) and Elephant race that is a part of the Temple festivities, is an event that is worth attending for every tourist.

Other important attractions like the Gokulam Estate which is one of the largest dairy farms in Kerala is a part of Guruvayoor and the only Elephant Palace in the world, housing over 60 of those gentle behemoths, which are a property of the Sree Krishna Temple. There are also several ancient statues and small museums that are a window to the past of the city.

Climate and Best Time to Visit

• March – May is Summer, with dryness and heat. Highest temperature may reach up to 370 C.
• June – September is Monsoon with heavy rains. Surroundings are continuously wet and rains can go on for a couple of days without stopping, it is advised to avoid this time of the year.
• October – February is early Winter to early summer with average temperatures of 230 C to 300 C. This time is fit for traveling in and out of Guruvayoor and most of the annual festivities and cultural events are scheduled during this time and is the best time to visit

Attractions of Guruvayoor

The Sree Krishna Temple

The Sree Krishna temple is the focal point of all activity in Guruvayoor. It is an ancient temple honoring Lord Krishna, a form of the principal Hindu god – Vishnu and is the third largest in India with a daily attendance of over 40,000 devotees. The Temple practices unusually strict rules and non-Hindus (foreigners, Christians and Muslims) are strictly forbidden from entering the temple premises. The annual Gurvayoor festival hosts many fantastic events like the Elephant races and processions, Vikkul festival and many more, which are a remarkable sight.

Punnathurkotta

Now called the ‘Annakotta’ (literally Elephant Fort), were remains of a fort that is now one for the largest Elephant sanctuaries. Also known as the Elephant Palace, it is located 3km outside Guruvayoor and caters to over 65 elephants owned by the Temple and all of them are devotee offerings to the elephant-headed god Ganesha.

Chembai Sangeetholsavam

This is one of the largest performances of classical Cranatic music in India. Participation by more than two hundred musicians and attended by an audience of over 2500, over a span of over two weeks, it is a feast of melodies and a gathering of musical masters from all over India.

Devaswom Museum

Located near East gate of the Sree Krishna Temple, this museum displays unique artifacts related to the history of the Temple.

Chavakkad Beach

At a distance of 5 km from the town of Guruvayoor, with its beautiful horizon scenery, peaceful atmosphere and wonderful seafood is a very relaxing experience at the end of the day.

Get In

By Air

The closest international airport is at Cochin (Kochi) at 87 km and the airports at Kozhikode or Coimbatore are both around 100km from Guruvayoor and are well connected to important international and Indian hubs.

By Railway

The main railway station is that of Thissur and many trains are routed from this point, from and to Guruyayoor and connect to all the major cities.

By Bus

Guruvayoor is connected to the rest of Kerala by a network of inter-city bus service run by the government.

Get Around

Taxi and Rickshaw

Rickshaws and Taxis are available for hire around all of the major spots around the town.

By Foot

As Guruvayoor is a small township, easy to tread on foot and many choose to walk through the crowded streets in and around the Temples.

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