Sivagiri

Varkala used to be known as the southern Benares. Narayana Guru built a hermitage on top of the Sivagiri hill and stayed there. He grew some plants around the place. That solitary hill began to attract public attention ever since Gurudev appeared there.

Sivagiri Sarada mutt

Gurudev's prathishta in April 1912 of the goddess Sree Sarada at Sivagiri, ranks as the most remarkable among his consecration of temple deities, and occupies a distinguished place in history.

According to the Indian concept, the goddess Saraswathy is the prime goddess of knowledge. But there are very few temples in Kerala with Saraswathy prathishta. Sivagiri Sarada Mutt was planned and designed by Gurudev who took a particular interest in it. Ordinary temples do not have windows. Gurudev called this temple, which is octagonal in shape, Sarada Mutt.

Here unlike in other temples, there is no nivedyam (offering of food to the deity) or abhishekam (pouring oil, ghee and such on the idol). Devotees can worship the goddess by reciting hymns. The idol of Saraswathy seated on white lotus is the symbol of "knowledge blossoming on whiteness or purity".Gurudev performed the pratishta of the deity at Sarada Mutt on the full moon day in April 1912.

Samadhi

Even decades after the Guru breathed his last

here in 1928 AD, his 'Samadhi'(restling place) continues to be thronged by thousands every year. The 'Sivagiri Pilgrimage' is conducted between December 30 and January 1.

The Mutt is also the headquarter of the 'Sree Narayana Dharma Sangham', a religious organisation established by the Guru to propagate his concept of 'One Caste, One Religion, One God'. The Sarada Temple and Sivagiri Mutt set in picturesque hill of Sivagiri near Varkala have now become a place of pilgrimage with great fanfare