Sripuram - Golden Temple

Hi Readers,

This weekend I went to yet another golden temple i.e. The golden temple of Sripuram, Vellore. Frankly, speaking I never heard about this temple in my 5 yrs stay in south India. This temple was inaugurated in 2007, may be that is the reason it has not got the fame of Tirupathi. I just heard about it few days back and packed my bags to visit this splendid temple.

The temple is situated just 10kms away from Vellore city, the place is named Tirumalaikodi. Reaching Vellore from Chennai takes just 2 and ½ hr. The temple is built over 100 acres of land. Below is the picture of its entrance.

Main gate

Though, photography is strictly not allowed inside the temple premises, I got a few picture if this magnificent temple by GOOGLING. The temple has a calm and serene atmosphere. The premises are well kept and the garden is well maintained. The garden has a manmade waterfall, has beautiful flower plants from roses to orchids. The plants are cut into different shapes resembling human figures and animals. It reminded me of the gardens at Ramoji Film city Hyderabad. Once, you make an entry to the temple, the first thing is to keep your mobiles, cameras and other electronic items in safe lockers. Use of any sort of electronics is strictly prohibited. That’s, the reason I could not take a single picture of this magnificent temple.

View from outside the temple

Once, you are done with footwear and electronics, the path leads you to a path with wooden pillars, roofed with tiles and floors decorated with granites and red tiles. You can mark the star shape engraved with granites in the path. This path has wonderful lamp posts and when you take your step through the path, you will be greeted with the Narayani mantra at a very slow pitch. The place is very quiet and calm. The cool breeze, the scenic beauty of this temple will grab all your attention. In both side of this path you can see visible boards displaying life, righteousness and truth messages. They encourage you to read these messages and imbibe its meaning as you slowly progress towards your destination i.e. the main temple. The aerial view of this path is wonderfully designed in the shape of star. You can see the picture below with the STAR like structure.

Star path and its aerial view

Inside this Star path there is another inner circle encircling the main temple. The distance between the inner circle and the main temple has a water pond. This golden temple reflects in this water, and that dazzling light fills your heart and soul with purity in thoughts and makes you more inclined towards the mantra that is being played. Chanting Mantra is encouraged like the Iscon temple Bangalore, where you Chant the Mantra at each step that you put forward to reach the main temple.

View of main temple from the Main gate

The green water reflects the temple architecture much more beautifully. Temple architecture is much similar to the golden temple at Tirupathi. The gold foils that are used to cover of the pillars are engraved with elephants, gooses and lotus. The temple dome is beautifully decorated with a large lotus and has a big hanging ceiling light. All the engraving on the gold is done minutely and is flawless. Inside the temple you can see a large idol of Lakhmi Narayani.  The statue is black in color and is decorated with gold and gem ornaments. It is decorated with flower garlands and Basil leaves. You can sit there for about 15 to 20mins and watch the Aarati at evening hours. The priest keep on chanting the mantras and the atmosphere fills your heart and soul with peace, and purity in thoughts. While leaving you will be given the Prasadam/Prasad along with a holy book about the goddess Lakhmi Narayani  and about the temple history and Sree Shakthi Amma the founder of this temple.

The Main temple

Sree Lakshmi Narayani with the founder

Altogether, I felt this as one place where peace restores in mind, somehow the much needed FEEL GOOD FACTOR is there that recharged my thoughts.  I would love to come back again and again to this beautiful temple.