Top Ten Tourist Attractions in Hong Kong

Hong Kong is blessed with popular tourist attractions and sightseeing opportunities throughout the territory. You'll find endless things to see and do on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon and the New Territories. Or take a ferry and explore the Outlying Islands. Choose any location listed and you won't be disappointed.
Here we are explored some of the tourist attractions of Hong Kong.                               Victoria Peak 

Victoria Peak is a mountain in Hong Kong which is located in the western half of Hong Kong Island. With an altitude of 552 m, it is the highest mountain on the island proper, but not in the entirety of Hong Kong, an honour which belongs to Tai Mo Shan.

The actual summit of Victoria Peak is occupied by a radio telecommunications facility and is closed to the public. However, the surrounding area of public parks and high-value residential land is the area that is normally meant by the name The Peak. It is a major tourist attraction which offers views over central Hong Kong, Victoria Harbour, and the surrounding islands.
Entrance Fee: HKD 45 (one-way ticket for the Peak Tram); HKD 56 (round ticket for the Peak Tram)
Opening Hours: 07:00-24:00
How to reach there: take Buses No. 1 or 15 to reach there.
Repulse Bay

Repulse Bay is an another tourist attarction in the southern part of Hong Kong Island, located in the Southern District, Hong Kong. Among all the Hong Kong beaches, Repulse Bay is most famous.

The Repulse Bay” is a residential apartment nowadays, and it was built on a former hotel site. “The Repulse Bay Centre” in front of it is a very elegant, beautiful European building built during the colonial era. Expected to be completed this year, 129 Repulse Bay looks like an opening white lily. According to some news articles, 129 Repulse Bay was originally built as residential apartment.

Entrance Fee: free
Opening Hours: the whole day
How to get there: There are shuttle buses with air-conditionings between the city center and Repulse Bay.

Mongkok Shopping Area

Mong Kok is a tourist attraction area in the Yau Tsim Mong District of Kowloon Peninsula, Hong Kong, China. Mong Kok in Chinese means a flourishing and busy corner.

Mong Kok is divided by Nathan Road into two areas-the residential area and shopping area. Shopping malls are in east of Nathan Road; and dwellers, shops, stores, restaurants are mainly found west of Nathan Road. Ladies Street also named Tung Choi Street is an open air bazaar. Mongkok Street is famous for birds selling. There is a large market for selling bird of all sorts.

Entrance Fee: free
Opening Hours: the whole day
How to get there: Mongkok is very accessible, and the easiest would be by MTR. Take MTR East Rail Line and get off at Mong Kok East Station.


Tourist Place in Hong Kong


Ocean Park

Hong Kong Ocean Park is a marine mammal park, oceanarium, and animal theme park, which is situated in Wong Chuk Hang and Nam Long Shan in the Southern District of Hong Kong.

Founded in 1977 by the then Governor of Hong Kong Sir Murray MacLehose, Ocean Park has now grown to about 35 attractions and rides. The park has won several awards, including The World’s Seventh Most Popular Amusement Park and 33rd Most Visited Tourist Attractions in the World by Forbes.

Entrance Fee: HKD 185
Opening Hours: 10:00-18:00 (Tuesday to Sunday, closed until 23:00 in Summer)
How to get there: Take a public bus to Ocean Park. And get off the bus after going through the Aberdeen Tunnel. A short walk takes you to Ocean Park. Public buses include No. 72, 72A, 92, 96, 592, 6A, 6X, 29R, 70, 75, 90, 97, 260, 41A, 77, 99, 171, 671, 107, 973 and 170.

Tsim Sha Tsui Waterfront

Tsim Sha Tsui is the southern tip of the Kowloon peninsula, and a major shopping and tourist place. Avenue of Stars is modeled after Hollywood”s Walk of Fame, and boasts a Bruce Lee Statue and imprints of other Chinese movie stars. It points towards Victoria Harbour.

The Tsim Sha Tsui Waterfront is as well the best touristplace to watch the night view of the harbor. Every night, the tall buildings along Hong Kong harbor will set up light bulbs on their walls and form into a wonderful sight-seeing.
Entrance Fee: free
Opening Hours: 09:00-23:30
How to get there: take Bus No. K568 to Luohu, then take East Subway to Tsim Sha Tsui.


Hong Kong Disneyland

Hong Kong Disneyland is the first theme park inside the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and is owned and managed by the Hong Kong International Theme Parks.

Hong Kong Disneyland is composed of the Hong Kong Disneyland Park, Disneyland Hotel (5-star) and Disneys Hollywood Hotel (4-star), and retail, dining and entertainment facilities. Hong Kong Disneyland speaks English and Chinese (Cantonese and Mandarin). You will meet Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Daisy. Themed areas there are Main Street, U.S.A., Adventureland, Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland. Hong Kong Disneyland has convenient transportation of being linked to Hong Kong public transit system.
Entrance Fee: HKD 295 (normal days); HKD 350 (on holidays or festivals)
Opening Hours: 10:00-19:00
How to get there: Yon can take Disney Resort Line, car, taxi, public bus or coach to get there.

Victoria Harbour

Victoria Harbour, one of the most popular travel tourist attractions in Hong Kong, is a natural landform harbour situated between Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula.

Victoria Harbour covers an area of about 41.88 square kilometers. Victoria Harbour is world-famous for its magnificent panoramic sight. Tower on the Victoria Peak is the best place to soak in the beautiful view. Vistas from the Culture Centre and Tsim Sha Tsui are also very nice. Number of people go for rides on the Star Ferry to see the harbour.

Entrance Fee: free

Opening Hours: the whole day

How to get there: There are three cross-harbour tunnels: Cross Harbour Tunnel, Eastern Harbour Crossing, and Western Harbour Crossing. They connect Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula across Victoria Harbour.

Tian Tan Buddha

Tiantan Buddha, also known as the Big Buddha, is a large bronze statue of a Buddha, completed in 1993, and located at Ngong Ping, Lantau Island, in Hong Kong. It is a major centre of Buddhism in Hong Kong, and is also a popular tourist attraction.

The Buddha is 34 metres tall, weighs 250 metric tons, and was the world’s tallest outdoor bronze seated Buddha prior to 2007. It reputedly can even be seen from as far away as Macau on a clear day. Visitors have to climb 268 steps in order to reach the Buddha, though the site also features a small winding road to the Buddha for vehicles to accommodate the handicapped.
Entrance Fee: free
Opening Hours: 10:00-18:00
How to get there: Visitors can reach the site by bus or taxi, travelling first to Mui Wo (also known as “Silvermine Bay”) via ferry from the Outlying Islands piers in Central (pier No. 6) or to Tung Chung station via the MTR.


Stanley Market

Stanley is a town and a tourist attraction in Hong Kong which is located on a peninsula on the southeastern part of Hong Kong Island. It is east of Repulse Bay and west of Shek O, adjacent to Chung Hom Kok.

Stanley has been a fishing village since before the British came to Hong Kong. Stanley Market is one of the must-go places for tourists when they visit Hong Kong. You will find an interesting array of little shops selling silk garments, sportswear, art, Chinese costume jewelry and souvenirs.
Entrance Fee: free
Opening Hours: the whole day
How to get there: take Buses No. 6, 6A or 260 at General Bus Station to the Stanley.

Avenue of Stars

The Avenue of Stars, modelled on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, is located along the Victoria Harbour waterfront in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. It honors celebrities of the Hong Kong film industry.

The Avenue of Stars is Hong Kong’s monument to its stars of the golden screen. Bruce Lee, Michelle Yeoh and Jackie Chan all have a star on the avenue, as well as numerous other lumineries. Apart from a shrine to the stars, this harborside walk also affords the best tourist attractions around of Hong Kong Island’s famous skyscrapers. Check out this picture gallery of the street and the views it offers.
Entrance Fee: free
Opening Hours: the whole day
How to get there: take Tianxing Boat from Wanchai Pier to Tsim Sha Tsui, then Avenue of Stars is on the right.

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Karnataka West Coast Travelogue

The West Coast of Karnataka is having lots of tourist places. My friend had a pelasant trip on his Civic and written this travelogue in Team-BHP.com

Karnataka West Coast Travelogue

And we are planning a trip in next month, its starting from Bangalore, and it will includes - Bangalore Shimoga – Jog Falls – Yana- Gokarna – Murdeshwar – Kollur – Agumbe – Shringeri – Horanadu – Dharmasthala – Belur- Halebeedu- Shravana Belagola – Bangalore. We will write the detailed travelogue about that trip in our future posts.

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Top Ten Must Visit Beaches in Goa

Goa – A beautiful seashore

Goa is a State of India and located on the western coast of India, Goa is well known for its best sun kissed beaches, churches and temples. You can find beaches everywhere in Goa, whether its North Goa or South Goa. The further you go, the more isolated beaches you get. If you want to enjoy the crowded parties then Baga and Anjuna Beach are the best suited for you. The Beaches Restaurant in Goa offers you shacks for sun bath and are specialized in sea food. Apart from this you can enjoy trance parties, and other big events like Sunburn, Goa carnival etc. Because of these happening parties, water sports and Music carnivals, Goa has got the power to attract vacationers from all over the world. The year 2011 was great year for the Goa Tourism, as the foreign travelers visiting India had Goa on their hit list . The budget hotels and luxury resort in this state have been awarded a number of times.

Famous for Beaches

The combination of beaches and magnificent monuments makes this state a great destination for a perfect holiday in India.Anjuna, Calangute, Baga, Calangute, Dona Paula, Miramar,Bogmalo, Colva, Benaulim etc. are just some of the famous beaches of the state.Goa has always been a tourist hub in India for the Foreign travelers since 1970’s because of stunning beaches, peaceful environment. During Hippie Era i.e 1969 Goa was full of Hippies and they find this place so good, that they never felt like leaving this place, that’s how Goa can mesmerize people.

If you planning to visit goa, don’t miss to visit all these beaches in goa.

Candolim beach

Situated in the north region of Goa, it is therefore becomes the first beach that can be accessed from the capital city Panaji. Candolim-best beach in Goa that attracts peace lovers towards itself as it is untouched by the crowd that comes to Goa. Though not many facilities are available on the beach but it is the perfect place to meditate. Do hire a beach umbrella as it will help you to have a comfortable stay. Also to satisfy the needs of the taste buds, try out the delicious food available in the beach shacks. Besides fishing adventure lovers should try the Water Sports-like, Parasailing and Water skiing.

Palolem Beach

Sobriquet as the paradise beach, it is the most stunning coastline in the whole area is among the Goa’s best beaches. The easy hut accommodation facility has prettified the beach. Here you get a chance to try your hands on some exciting water activities like boat cruises, diving and bike tours. The restaurants offer amazing wine and local attraction fenny along with scrumptious cuisines.

The famous resorts of the area like- Brendon Resort, Alessandra resort are the luxurious options to go ahead with however the easiest accommodation is the beach hut which is your chance to live life like a Goan.


Baga Beach

Located on the west coast of Goa by the sides of Arabian Sea, Baga beach is quite a hit for its water sports and fishing excursions. The unharmed beauty of the beach environment fascinates a lot of tourists towards itself. Besides this it has a spectacular retreat house calmly located at the top of a hill.

It can also be regarded as the bon vivant destination of Goa with delicious food being served in its beach shacks to delightful pizzerias and terrace cafes.The day spent in the arms of pure beaches is juxtaposed by the vibrant night life of the region. Other than this, candle light dinner is quite an interesting alternative.

Mabor Beach

Mabor Beach is located to south of the Cavelossim beach and village of Benaulim which is Goa’s one of the most clean and quiet beaches.

This place is famous for its luxury resorts and highly celebrated night life. Adventurous tourist found delight in activities like parasailing, biking and bump rides. Variety of Goan dishes and sea food are available at the several beach shacks.

Aguada Beach

This beach is famous for its Historical site Aguada Fort which was built by the Portuguese to shield Goa from the foreign incursions. The place is also quite known for its Reis Magos Fort along with the beautifully built Reis Magos Church that offers a spectacular view of the Mandovi River. The Aguada is suitable for those who wish to spend some peaceful time watching the foamy waves teasing the shores. Fine soft golden sands and blue waters add it to the list of pristine beaches of Goa.

Dona Paula Beach

Located 7-km from Panjim is the Goa’s Dona Paula beach which is special as compared to other beaches as it is bathed by both the Goan Sea and rivers. There is this interesting myth related to the beach that it is haunted by Dona Paula de Menezes lost love and hence the atmosphere is a fusion of love and myth.

Governor of Goa resides here in the Cabo Raj Bhavan. To research about the diverse marine biology, The National Oceanographic Institute was set up hereand has become one of the major tourist attractions. About 9-km from Dona Paula beach, the Choro Island along the Mandovi River has exotic Salim Ali bird sanctuary.

Straw hats, lace kerchief, spices, feni, port wine, Indian handicrafts and jewelry are the items you can shop for in the market of Dona Paula.

Miramar Beach

It is just a kilometer away from Dona Paula. It is an exquisite golden beach of soft sand complimented by a thick grove of shady palms, in front of the blue Arabian Sea. It derives it name from Portuguese word that means looking at the sea and the fact that it provides a scenic view of the sea.

When moonlight falls on the soft and silvery sand bed, sparkling effect is created which capture the hearts of the visitors. All the essential facilities like resorts, good restaurants, shopping places, adventurous activities and sightseeing is available here. The memorial to Goa’s first chief minister along with Dhempe College of Arts and Science are other places worth a visit.

Colva Benaulim Beach

Colva Benaulim Beach also called Colva is one of the prettiest beaches of Goa.

Occupied majorly by newly wedded couples and international tourists this beach offers serene beauty and calmness that takes the tourists closer to the nature. The unique feature of this beach is its white sand beach that is stretched 20km towards south of Goa. One can also visit the famous Our Lady of Mercy Church.

Varca / Cavelossium Beach

Situated 2km away from the Colva Beach, the Varca Beach is highly popular among the tourist for itsdolphin spotting trip. One can book the boat rides that take them a little far away into the sea where dolphins can be spotted.

The beach is marked by the presence of wooden shacks and thatched roof houses. Apart from the famous beach resorts one can opt for family houses as well. The Varka beach is just a few minutes away from the Dabolim airport. For road transports there are plenty of buses, cabs and auto rickshaws. For intercity travel purposes there are numerous scooters and cycles that can be hired from the locals.

Anjuna Beach

Anjuna beach is located 8-km west of Mapusa and enjoys a good status as a famous and best beach in Goa. It is crowded by monks, artists, travelers or fun lovers who are there for a rejuvenating experience. Famous for its night long beach parties, festivities it has a special place in the hearts of young visitors.

One can enjoy here best western seafood, shopping in the beachside markets and fresh fruit buys such as watermelons, pineapples and locally grown coconuts. The beauty of the white waves rushing to embrace the pale golden sand on the beach can be witnessed in full form at the Goa’s Anjuna beach.

Temples in Goa

Among the temples, Saraswat temole is the most significant and popular one that attracts visitors. Shanta Durga temple, Ganapati Temple, Mahalakshmi Temple, etc are also important tourist attrctions.

Festivals in Goa

Goa carnival is a world famous events to be enjoyed here and is full of dance and performance with colorful masks and floats. the continuous celebration of three days makes Goa lively and Jazzy. Music parades are the major highlights of this carnival that attracts uncountable tourist from everywhere to be a part of this carnival.In 2012 the carnival held between 18 Feb to 21st February.Among the many and various colourful feasts and festivals that are celebrated in Goa, the Goa Carnival is the most eagerly awaited event.

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Must visit temples near Dharmasthala

Lakhs together pilgrims visiting Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala every year. The are many ancient temples are hidden in the villages near Dharmasthala. But the visitors of the Dharmasthala are not have enough details of these temples. here we listed some of the temples near dharmasthala. 

1) Sri Sadashiva Rudra Temple: 
This temple located in Suriya Village,near Dharmastala is one among them. Manly dedicated to Lord Shiva, the temple has got a unique tradition of offering clay sculptures to God. Generally people offer money or gold to God when their wishes are fulfilled as a symbol of gratitude, but in this temple people make clay offerings to the God.The Suriya temple is probably only one of its kind because of its unique tradition of clay offerings. 

Devotees pray god for their wishes/desires.Once it is fulfilled the devotees along with their clay offerings have to go to the temple preferably on Mondays along with a coconut and a kg of rice.The offerings are available in temple premises which are clay sculptures of your requests.For example chair and table symbolizes job, marriage means small sculptures of bride and groom, human body parts like ear,eyes,heart etc. You can also see children, cradles, limbs, houses, automobiles, coconuts, cattle,eggs, computer,watch,aeroplane etc.., this list is probably endless.

Here is a small tank near by the temple.All the clay offerings are made in a separate place called Mannina Harake Bana ( Clay Offerings Place) which is close to temple.You can see a huge collection of clay sculptures there. ts believed that temple is around 700 years old.But no one in the temple knows the importance behind this clay offerings.
Clay is within the tradition of India.We make ganesha idol,durga mata idol(usually in West Bengal) and many more using clay.So clay must be pure and good compared to anything and I believe god likes to get clay offerings.
How to Reach :
Suriya is around 12km from Dharmastala,which has good connectivity from all parts of Karnataka.You can hire a jeep or auto from Dharmastala to get in to the place.
Temple timings : 7 30AM to 2PM and 4PM to 6.30PM.
Address of the temple :
Administrator. Sri Sadashiva Rudra Temple
Surya, Nada Grama, Permanu. Beltanagday Tq, DK-574214.  2) Shishileshwara Temple, Shishila

The Shishileshwara temple is situated on the banks of Kapila River in Shishila village of Belthangady Taluk, Dakshina Kannada district.

The history of Shishileshwara temple dates back to 700 years. This place is also referred as Matsya Theertha. The Mahashir (in Tulu 'Peruvelu') fish is found in huge numbers in the Kapila river.

The fish in the Kapila River at Shishila are believed to be sacred and Naivedyam is offered to them after offering daily pujas. It is also believed that one can get rid of all types of skin disease after worshipping at Shishileshwara temple and feeding the fish in Kapila River.

The other attractions of this place are two rocks, 'Huli Kallu' (rock named after tiger), and 'Dana Kallu' (rock named after cow). It is believed that, a tiger and a cow reached the river and tiger chased the cow. To avoid violence, Shishileshwara converted tiger and cow into rocks. These rocks are also worshipped during the annual festival.

The annual festival at Shishila is held at the end of May and celebrated for 9 days with unique feature in each day.

Note: Fishing is restricted in Kapila River in and around 2 kilometers from Shishileshwara temple.

Distance from Shishila
Mangalore: 110 km
Dharmasthala: 30 km
Belthangadi: 45 km
Kokkada: 15 km

How to Reach

From Beltangady one has to travel via Uppinangady (which is located at National Highway 48) and Kokkada. One has to cross the river to reach Shishila.

Few Buses also ply to Shishila from Uppinangadi and Dharmasthala.

3) Sowthadka Mahaganapathi Temple

This temple is just 20km away  Dharmasthala,. It is unique in the sense that it has no temple structure. 

Pooja Timings : 7:15 am, 12:15 pm, 7:15 pm




Distances to Sowthadka from major places:
Dharmasthala: 20 km. Kukke Subrahmanya: 45 km
Mangalore: 82 km

How to reach Sowthadka by Road: One can reach Southadka, on the National Highway 48(Mangalore-Bangalore) from Uppinangady towards Bangalore, first left turn after Nellyadi, on Dharmasthala Road.

For more info on the temple, you can visit the temple website
Sowthadka Temple

Temple Address:
Southadka Sri Maha Ganapathi Kshetra, Kokkada Post,
Belthangadi Taluk, Dakshina Kannada district Pin code: 574 198
Ph: 08251 - 254 351, 254 161

More Temples in Belthangadi Taluk

• Shri Janardhana Temple, ujire,
• Shri Ananteshwara Temple, Ballamanja,
• Shri Durgaparameshwari Temple, Mottethadka,
• Shri Mattur Panchalingeshwara Temple, Charmadi,
• Shri Umapanchalingeshwara Temple, Appila, Neriya,
• Shri Gopalakrishna Temple, Bendrala, Thotathady
• Shri Parashurama Temple, Sanyasikatte, Mundaje,
• Shri Lakshminarayana Temple, Gundi, Mundaje,
• Shri Mahaganapathi Temple, Nidigal,
• Shri Lokanatheshwara Temple, Nidigal,
• Shri Sadashiveshwara Temple, Pajiradka,
• Shri Vanadurga Temple, Tangai, Ujire,
• Shri Santhana Gopalakrishna Temple, Chavadi, Ujire
• Shri Vaidyanatheshwara Temple, Kokkada
• Shri Durgaparameshwari Temple, Anar,
• Shri Mahavishnumurthi Temple, Patrame,
• Shri Somanatheshwara Temple, Belthangadi
• Shri Durgaparameshwari Temple, Nala
• Shri Mahalingeshwara Temple, Karaya
• Shri Mahalingeshwara Temple, Haleji
• Shri Panchalingeshwara Temple, Uruvalu,
• Shri Umamaheshwara Temple, Malengallu,
• Shri Vishnumurthi Temple, Bandaru,
• Shri Mahammayi Temple, Kalleri,
• Shri Gopalakrishna Temple, Uli,
• Shri Panchadurgaparameshwari Temple, Kakkebeedu,
• Shri Durgaparameshwari Temple, Parenki,
• Shri Umamaheshwari Temple, Odilnala,
• Shri Vishnumurthi Temple, Tenkakarandur,
• Shri Mahalingeshwara Temple, Balanja
• Shri Somanatheshwara Temple, Aladangadi,
• Shri Siddhivinayaka Temple, Aladangadi
• Shri Durgaparameshwari Temple, Chandkur
• Shri Mahalingeshwara Temple, shirlal,
• Shri Lokanatheshwara Temple, Badyaru,
• Shri Nandikeshwara Temple, Venur,
• Shri Mahalingeshwara Temple, Venur,
• Shri Suryanarayana Temple, Naravi,
• Shri Gopalakrishna Temple, Kurangala, Perinje
• Shri Durgadevi Temple, Kolli,
• Shri Gopalakrishna Temple, Sulebettu,
• Shri Mayamaheshwara Temple, Maya, Belalu,
• Shri Ganapati Subrahmanyeshwara Temple, Malebettu,
• Shri Mahalingeshwara Temple, (Kaliya) Kalanja,
• Shri Panchadurga Temple, Koyyur,
• Shri Durgaparameshwari Temple, Mundur,
• Shri Lakshmijanrdhana Temple, Majaru,
• Shri Subrahmanaya Temple, Kolpadi,
• Shri Vanadurga Temple, Malebettu, Koyyur
• Sri Balasubramanyeshwara Temple, Icchur, Ilanthila

 

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Himavad Gopalaswamy Betta - A Awesome Place...

Himavad Gopalaswamy Betta, is a hill (betta in Kannada) located near Gundlupet, Mysore, in the Chamarajanagar district. At a height of 1450m sea level, and is extensively has thick forest It is also the highest peak in the Bandipur National Park. It lies in the core area of the Bandipur National Park and is frequented by wild life including elephants. Dense fog predominates and covers the hills round the year and thus gets the prefix Himavad(in the native language of Kannada) and the temple of Venugopalaswamy (Lord Krishna) gives the full name ofHimavad Gopalaswamy Betta. It is approximately 220 km from Bangalore and 75 km from Mysore on the Mysore Ooty road -10 km away from Gundlupet,which is 60 km away from Mysore. 

View of top of the hill

There is a motorable road all the way to the top of the hill. Entry fee is collected at the forest department checkpost at foot of the hill. Entry fee has been revised wef Feb 01 2011. Entry fee is flat 100 Rs. You have to report back at the entrance after 1 hour. Visitors are allowed from around 8:30am till 5pm. Overnight stay on top is not allowed. Trekking and videography in the surrounding hills are allowed only with prior permission and to be accompanied by the forest department guides. There is a forest department guest house at the top of the picturesque hill, which can be reserved in advance through the forest office in Mysore or Bandipur. The guest house provides basic accommodation, food and other ...

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Shree Anantha Padmanabha Swamy - The Richest God of the World

Shree Anantha Padmanabha Swamy Temple is one of the most important Vaishnavite Temples in India. And now it is the richest temple in the world. The city carrying the name of Anantha later became Thiruvananthapuram. Due to the presence of this temple, Thiruvananthapuram even had a name "Ananthasayanam".

Vilwamangalam Swamiyar who was roaming in search of Sree Krishna, reached Ananthan Kaadu and there, Vishnu appeared in front of him in the form of Ananthasayana. Swamiyar plucked some tender mangoes from a nearby mango tree and gave it to Vishnu as his offering. Vishnu accepted that offering and was pleased. This is what the tales tell.

The Idol of Sree Padmanabha Swamy is made of Kadusarkkara Yogam, an ayurvedic mixture, with Vishnu sleeping on the serpent Ananta with his head pointing towards south, facing east. The idol is made up of 12000 salagramams that compose the reclining figure. They are considered extraordinary because they are from Nepal, from the banks of the Gandhaki river, and they were allegedly brought to the temple by elephant in an elaborate ceremony. On top of them, “katusarkara yogam”, navaratnams, a special ayurvedic mix, was used to create plaster. Followers believe that the Lord has personally come in disguise and had saved the Travancore Kingdom from enemy attack on multiple occasions.

In late June 2011, a review of the temple's underground vaults was undertaken by a seven-member panel appointed by the Supreme Court of India to generate an inventory, leading to the discovery of a vast hidden collection. Estimates suggest that the temple could be the richest in the world; unofficial estimates on the sixth day of the inventory placed the value of contents at close to 100,000 crore (US$22.3 billion).

The riches come from the donations that were made by the Royal family and traders, who used to come from other parts of the country and abroad, as offerings to the deity, and were sealed within the thick stone walls and vaults of the temple for over a millennium. Zee news reported that the value of the Ancient offerings made to the lord Padmanabhaswamy may be in excess of 500000 crore ( USD$ 100 Billion). The temple is now considered wealthier than the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh – by official records considered to be the richest shrine in India

The temple that houses a sleeping idol of Lord Vishnu is the richest temple in the world. Treasure worth Rs 100,000 crore was recently found in secret chambers on temple land. Golden crowns, 17 kg of gold coins, 18 ft long golden necklace weighing 2.5 kg, gold ropes, sack full of diamonds, thousands of pieces of antique jewellery, and golden vessels were some of the treasures unearthed during the weekend.

The main treasure found was a one foot (12 angulams) height golden idol of Lord Mahavishnu and a 30 kg golden ‘anki’. This golden idol of Lord Vishnu is believed to be the replica of the ‘utsava vigraham' used in the temple. The golden idol of Padmanabhaswamy studded with more than 1000 previous stones is valued to around Rs. 500 Crore. Another golden idol of Lord Sree Krishna was also found which weighs around 5 kg. Several golden coins were also unearthed which are believed to be issued during the reign of Krishnadeva Rayar in the 16th century AD. Numerous golden ornaments which were used to adorn the main deity were also found in the Vault marked A. Ornaments studded with emeralds were also found on Saturday. Numerous golden human figurine weighing 1 kg, golden bangles, golden rope, are other interesting treasure found in the Vishnu Temple. Two coconut shells made of pure gold were also found. One of this golden coconut shell was students with rare antique stones including emeralds and rubies. 


Explore the Temple

How to Reach

Shree Padmanabhaswamy Temple can easily be accessed by road being its ideal location near the Trivandrum City Bus Station in East Fort, Thiruvananthapuram. The inter-state highway, National Highway 47 (NH 47) connects Thiruvananthapuram to all major cities and nearby states including Kollam, Ernakulam (Kochi), Thrissur, Nagercoil, Coimbatore, Kanyakumari, Chennai, and Bangalore. 

Nearest Railway Station
Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway Station is the nearest railway station, just 1 km away from Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple. Trivandrum Central Railway Station is one of the major railway stations in Kerala, managed by Southern Railways. Himsagar Express (Kanyakumari - Kashmir), Rajdhani Express, Howrah Express, Sabari Express (Trivandrum – Hyderabad), and Guruvayur Express (Chennai – Guruvayoor) are some of the major trains passing through Trivandrum Railway Station.

Nearest Bus Station
Thiruvananthapuram City Bus Station at East Fort is the nearest bus station to reach the temple. The City Bus Station is just a walking distance from the temple. Thiruvananthapuram Central Bus Station, situated opposite to the railway station, is just a kilometer away from the temple.

By Flight / Airport
Trivandrum International Airport is the nearest airport to reach Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple. The airport is just 7 km from the temple. 

Travancore Royal Family
The Travancore ruling family follows a matrilineal tradition. So there was no dowry going out for grooms' families when the dynasty's girls got married, and money remained in the family. The dynasty was also hailed as a progressive one among India's princely states. It introduced English education in the state in the early 19th Century (the first kingdom in southern India to do so), opened the gates of all temples - including Sree Padmanabhaswamy - to the lower castes and untouchables in 1936, and abolished capital punishment in 1946. (Of course, this was reinstated after India became independent the following year.) The current Maharajah of Travancore has been the managing trustee of the temple

Festivals of Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple
The two annual festivals of the Padmanabhaswamy Temple culminate in a grand procession, in which the three deities (Padmanabha, Narasimha and Krishna) are carried on flower-deck and aesthetically decorated Garuda Vahanas to Shankumugham Beach, for “arattu” (sacramental ablution). The arattu days are declared as local public holidays in Thiruvanathapuram.

Belief About Padmanabhaswamy Temple
Padmanabhaswamy Temple stands at a place considered one of the seven Parasurama Kshetras; texts including the Puranas, particularly the Skanda Purana and Padma Purana, have references to this shrine. Another story tells of a pulaya couple seeing Vishnu in the form of a child. The child took morsels of rice from the hands of the couple. Also it is believed that Divakaramuni, when he saw the deity, took the first food item he saw which was an unripe Mango on a coconut shell as an offering plate and performed primary pooja. To this day, the naivedyam or offering of unripe mango is offered to the deity here in the same coconut shell that Divakara Muni offered his prasadam to the Lord.

History of Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple
Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple is known for its architectural elegance and long rows of granite columns with exquisite engravings, have Lord Vishnu reclining on the multiple-headed serpent Anantha as the presiding deity. This temple is one of the famous Hindu temple dedicated to god Vishnu maintained by the erstwhile Travancore Royal Family and located inside East Fort in the city of Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala state, South India. The temple is considered to be one of 108 Divya Desams (Holy Abodes), which are principal centres of worship in Vaishnavism. The date of the temple is unknown, but the temple is mentioned in the ancient writings of the Alwars (6th-9th centuries AD), and renovations are thought to have taken place until the 18th century. Lord Padmanabhaswamy is enshrined here in Anananthasayanam posture (in eternal sleep of yognidra). The main idol inside the sanctum sanctorum and viewed from three doors is in the reclining posture.

The local legend tell the story of Sage Vilvamangalam's first darshan of Lord Vishnu as Padmanabha who crashed upon his path as a tree before revealing himself as the infinite power. Praised by Anantha, the five headed serpent, the Lord was persuaded by the sage to stay in the city. His massive form reclining on the heads of Anantha, is believed to have extended and exactly covered the area that was to be Thiruvananthapuram. Marthandavarma, the well known Maharaja of Travancore (note that the state of Kerala was formed by the integration of 3 princely states - Travancore, Kochi and Malabar) dedicated his Kingdom to Sree Padmanabhaswami with the capital at Padmanabhapuram in the south. His successor Maharaja Ramavarma in 1795 shifted the capital to the present city of Thiruvanathapuram. In spite of its political importance it is really heartening to see this wonderful city retaining its original charm and continues to hold all it's rich heritage in tact. The roads and buildings here are grander than the other Kerala Cities. This city boasts even of connections with King Solomon, whose ships said to have landed in a mysterious place called Ophir.

Since Independence, the temple has been controlled by a trust run by the descendants of the Travancore royal family. After 1947 the kingdom of Travancore merged with the princely state of Cochin, which eventually became the present-day state of Kerala. The members of the Travancore royal family consider themselves to be servants of the presiding deity at the temple, Padmanabhaswamy, which is an aspect of the Hindu God Vishnu in eternal sleep. This is why they historically entrusted their wealth to the temple. 

Legend

There are many legends regarding the origin of the temple. One such legend says that Vilvamangalathu Swamiyar alias Divakara Muni prayed to Krishna for his darshan. Krishna came in disguise as a small, mischievous boy. The boy swallowed the Saligrama which was kept in Puja. The Sage became enraged at this and chased the boy until the boy hid himself behind a tree. The tree fell down and became Vishnu in Anantha Shayanam (reclining posture on Anantha the serpent) – but when he did so, he was of an extraordinarily large size. The Sage, recognizing that the tree was Vishnu, pleaded that because of the huge form the lord had manifested before him he could not either have a mind fulfilling darshan or circumambulate him. He then asked the Lord to shrink to a smaller proportion – thrice the length of his staff. Immediately, the Lord Vishnu shrunk himself, and told the sage that he should be worshipped through three doors. These doors are now the doors in the temple through which the idol may be viewed. Through the first door, the worship is offered to Shiva; through the second entrance to Brahma on the Lord's lotus navel, and through the third is Vishnu's feet, which are said to lead to salvation. There are many legends regarding the origin of the temple. One such legend says that Vilvamangalathu Swamiyar alias Divakara Muni prayed to Krishna for his darshan. Krishna came in disguise as a small, mischievous boy. The boy swallowed the Saligrama which was kept in Puja. The Sage became enraged at this and chased the boy until the boy hid himself behind a tree. The tree fell down and became Vishnu in Anantha Shayanam (reclining posture on Anantha the serpent) – but when he did so, he was of an extraordinarily large size. The Sage, recognizing that the tree was Vishnu, pleaded that because of the huge form the lord had manifested before him he could not either have a mind fulfilling darshan or circumambulate him. He then asked the Lord to shrink to a smaller proportion – thrice the length of his staff. Immediately, the Lord Vishnu shrunk himself, and told the sage that he should be worshipped through three doors. These doors are now the doors in the temple through which the idol may be viewed. Through the first door, the worship is offered to Shiva; through the second entrance to Brahma on the Lord's lotus navel, and through the third is Vishnu's feet, which are said to lead to salvation.

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Savandurga - A Hill composed entirely of only one rock

Savandurga is a famous hill located near Bangalore, and is one of the best  tourist attraction near Bangalore. The general interest shown by tourists from all over the country is well justified, as Savandurga is one of the largest monolith hills in the entire world. This means that the Savandurga hill is composed entirely of only one rock, which spans a height of about 1226 meters. The monolithic structure is mainly made of basic dykes, granites, gneiss and laterites.

Savandurga is a serene location, given its calm surroundings and lush beauty. Yet another advantage is the hill’s proximity to the city of Bangalore, which makes it easily accessible. Savandurga has two minor hills, mainly Karigudda and Biligudda. In the local language, Karigudda means Black Hill and Biligudda means White Hill. These two hills comprise the collective hill of Savandurga.








Savandurga is oft visited by tourists because the region has a very famous temple too. This temple, called the Savandi Veerabhadreshwara Swamy temple, is located in the foothills of Savandurga. This temple and the Narasimha Swamy temple (also present in the foothills of Savandurga) are two major temples that tourists visiting Savandurga normally swarm to. Savandurga is also an ideal spot for trekking in South India.

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