The meaning of the Solstice and its types

A solstice is a particular time when either of the two hemispheres or poles (northern or southern) on Earth reaches its maximum tilt. Consequently, the sun attains its highest or lowest elevations in the sky. Ultimately, this determines the longest and shortest days on Earth every year.

During the December solstice, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun, marking the beginning of winter and the shortest day of the year. At the same time, the Southern Hemisphere experiences summer and its longest day. The dates of the summer and winter solstices vary each year slightly, typically occurring around June 20-21 and December 21-22.

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What is the longest and shortest day of the year?

During the winter solstice, the sun will be at its lowest elevation in the sky. So, the day becomes short and the night becomes long. On the other hand, during the summer solstice, the sun will be at its maximum elevation in the sky. So, the day becomes long and the night becomes short. This is how the longest and shortest days of a year are decided.

The exact dates of the summer and winter solstices vary slightly each year, typically occurring around June 20-21 and December 21-22.

The history and culture behind the Happy Solstice

Our ancestors celebrated the winter solstice in the midwinter as an event of the rebirth of the sun. Particularly, certain tribes or communities celebrated this as a grand spiritual event and determined that the time for fermenting wine and beer had come.

Moreover, some communities marked it as a time of seasonal change from fall to winter. A few communities believed that sacrificing cattle could help them survive through the extreme winter weather.

Countries celebrating the Winter Solstice

Naturally, the winter solstice can be experienced in many northern hemisphere regions, like:

• Stonehenge in England,
• Barcelona’s Hospital de Sant Pau in Spain,
• Royal Burgh in Scotland,
• Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek Museum in Denmark,
• the inner chambers of Newgrange Tomb in Ireland,
• Denali National Park in Alaska,
• Mayan structures in Mexico, etc.

Of these, the oldest one is the Newgrange tomb in Ireland, which is believed to have been built around 3200 B.C. If you ask us, “Where is the best place to see the winter solstice?” we would vote for the solstice at Stonehenge, England, the most celebrated one besides the Newgrange tomb.

Today, thousands of visitors gather annually at Stonehenge to witness the solstice sunrise, making it one of the world’s most famous solstice celebrations.

Every year, on the day of the solstice in December, various tribal communities of England, like neo-druids, Wiccans, and ordinary tourists and travelers, gather at Stonehenge early in the morning and rejoice watching the sunrise over the stones.

Undoubtedly, the panoramic landscape of this moment is truly magical and it will leave you with goosebumps all over your body.

The Summer Solstice longest day of the year

As the summer solstice marks the longest day and the beginning of the summer season, many places, including Reykjavik in Iceland, the Stockholm Archipelago in Sweden, Fairbanks in Alaska, the mountains of the Tyrol in Austria, Stonehenge in England, Ottawa in Canada, Longyearbyen in Norway, and Giza in Egypt, celebrate it as a mass indigenous festival. People from the nearby cities and regions, along with tourists, gather at these places and witness the summer solstice sunrise.

Planning to experience unique cultural and astronomical events around the world? Explore international tour packages from Emperor Traveline and discover unforgettable travel experiences throughout the year

FAQ

• What is the winter solstice?
  The winter solstice is the day with the shortest period of daylight and the longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
  
• When does the winter solstice occur?
  It usually occurs between December 21 and December 22 each year.
  
• Where is the best place to experience the winter solstice?
  Popular destinations include Stonehenge in England, Newgrange in Ireland, and various cultural sites across Europe and North America.
  
• Why is Stonehenge associated with the winter solstice?
  Stonehenge is aligned with the movements of the Sun, making it a significant gathering place for solstice celebrations.

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Long Weekends Based on 2025 Calendar India

January 2025: 1 weekend

• Makar Sankranti or Pongal
• Dates: Jan 11th – 15th
• Days: Saturday – Wednesday
• (Take a day off on Monday)

February 2025: 1 weekend

• Maha Shivaratri
• Dates: Feb 26th – March 2nd
• Days: Wednesday – Sunday
• (Take 2 days off on Thursday and Friday)

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March 2025: 2 weekends

• Holi
• Dates: March 14th – 16th
• Days: Friday – Sunday c

• Eid-ul-Fitar
• Dates: March 29th – 31st
• Days: Saturday – Monday

Ugadi or Telugu New Year falls on March 3rd, a Sunday that does not count as a long weekend.

April 2025: 2 weekends

• Mahavir Jayanti
• Dates: April 10th – 13th
• Days: Thursday – Sunday
• (Take a day off on Friday)

• Good Friday/ Easter
• Dates: April 18th – 20th
• Days: Friday – Sunday

April 2025 holidays include Ram Navami on the 6th which falls on Sunday. Hence, it gets excluded for a long weekend.

May 2025: 2 weekends

• Labor day
• Dates: May 1st – 4th
• Days: Thursday – Sunday
• (Take a day off on Friday)

• Buddha Purnima
• Dates: May 10th – 12th
• Days: Saturday – Monday

June 2025: 2 weekends

• Bakri Id / Eid ul-Adha
• Dates: June 7th – 11th
• Days: Wednesday – Sunday
• (Take 2 days off on Thursday and Friday)

• Rath Yatra
• Dates: June 27th – 29th
• Days: Friday – Sunday

July 2025: In this month, there are no long weekend holidays in 2025.

August 2025: 2 weekends

• Independence Day & Janmashtami
• Dates: Aug 15th – 17th
• Days: Friday – Sunday

• Vinayaka Chaturthi
• Dates: Aug 27th – 31st
• Days: Wednesday – Sunday
• (Take 2 days off on Thursday and Friday)

September 2025: 1 weekend

• Onam, Milad un Nabi, Teacher’s Day
• Dates: Sep 4th – 7th
• Days: Thursday – Sunday
• (Take a day off on Friday)

October 2025: 2 weekends

• Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti & Dussehra
• Dates: Oct 2nd – 5th
• Days: Thursday – Sunday
• (Take a day off on Friday)

• Diwali
• Dates: Oct 18th – 20th
• Days: Saturday – Monday

November 2025: 1 weekend

• Guru Nanak Jayanthi
• Dates: Nov 5th – 9th
• Days: Wednesday – Sunday
• (Take 2 days off on Thursday and Friday)

December 2025: 2 weekends

• Christmas
• Dates: Dec 25th – 28th
• Days: Thursday – Sunday
• (Take a day off on Friday)

• New Year 2026
• Dates: Jan 1st – 4th
• Days: Thursday – Sunday
• (Take a day off on Friday)

Calendar for Next Year 2025: Frequently Asked Questions

• How many government holidays in India in 2025?

Government holidays are public holidays in India. As per the central government’s recent circular, there are seventeen gazetted holidays and thirty-four restricted holidays in the year 2025.

During the gazetted holidays, all government offices and private institutions including schools and colleges take mandatory leave. On the other hand, during restricted holidays, it is up to the entities to decide on the leave and is totally optional.

• How many paid federal holidays are there in 2025?

In 2025, there will be 11 paid federal holidays in the United States, including all fifty states and the District of Columbia. It includes the New Year, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Independence Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, etc.

• How many long weekends in 2025?

There are about 15–18 long weekends in the coming year. Out of which, 7 weekends need no additional personal or casual leaves and the remaining involves either one or two days off from your end.

• What are the three-day weekends in 2025?

A long weekend includes at least three days of holidays. Thus, all the long weekends listed above are three-day weekends.

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Top 10 Travel Accessories

1. Multipurpose bags
2. Waterproof bags
3. Toiletries
4. Weatherproof essentials
5. Luggage locks
6. First aid kits
7. Necessary tools
8. Water/light essentials
9. Mobile apps for travel
10. Makeup kits

1. Multipurpose bags

These bags have multiple functionalities and utilities. For example, you can either carry them, use them as a backpack, or have them on your shoulders. It has several compartments, pockets, and holders to pack versatile items. You can easily buy the best backpacks for travel from e-commerce sites.

2. Waterproof bags

Bags with an elastic, adjustable cover are called waterproof or rainproof. They are perfect when traveling to places in and around water, like islands, cruises, mountains, etc.

3. Toiletries

A must-have collection for everyone and any tourist destination—brushes, toothpaste, soaps, hand or body washes, shampoo, mirror, and towel. These are essential to ensure hygiene and protect ourselves from external contaminations or infections.

4. Weatherproof essentials

A packing list must include this set of items. Be it summer or winter, the respective weatherproof apparel has to be carried. For example, jackets, socks, overcoats, hats, sunscreen, shoes, etc.

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5. Luggage locks

If you do not have a bag with a widely accepted inbuilt TSA lock, then you need to carry your private luggage locks to protect your belongings from unnecessary damage.

6. First aid kits

They are badly needed for travelers attempting risky or adventurous activities like hiking, trekking, etc. They are helpful not only for small injuries but sometimes can save lives. They are especially considered one of the vital road trip essentials.

7. Necessary tools

Tools or accessories, like adaptors, power banks, air tags, travel pillows, socks, locks, sanitizers, hooks, ropes, screwdrivers, or similar emergency articles, are necessary for anyone to survive unforeseen situations. You can carry a mini-tool kit that saves space.

8. Water/light essentials

The first and foremost necessity for any life is water and light. Thus, travel-friendly water bottles and lights top the list of travel essentials and are found to be extremely useful for many travelers.

9. Mobile apps for travel

Yes, downloading travel-friendly or language-translating mobile applications on your device is a unique prerequisite when traveling to unfamiliar or foreign tourist places. Certainly, this is not an item or accessory that you need to pack but install on your mobile phones for easy navigation, communication, exploration, etc.

10. Makeup kits

Of course, these are the primary travel accessories for women these days. One reason is that they are fond of photographs and another reason is that they want to wear makeup and present themselves neat and appealing.

There are a lot more must-haves when it comes to traveling short or long. However, each travel is unique. So, consider altering this list as per your needs—specific to places, persons, and activities.

Frequently asked questions

What to pack for a ten-day trip?

A 10-day trip is quite a long one; you must pack everything from clothing to snacks, towels to toiletries, essentials to add-ons, etc. Based on the travel destination and your physical health, you may or may not need thermal wear, raincoats, boots, water bottles, or emergency medicines. So, you first need to prepare a customized checklist of items you require for that particular travel.

What is the best cosmetic bag for travel? ​​

Any best cosmetic bag must have multiple compartments for travel-size and full-size cosmetic products and added features, like detachable pockets, transparent holders, and zipped cases. According to Business Insider, the top brand choices include Kusshi Signature Makeup Bag, Calpak Large Clear Cosmetics Case, Quince Italian Leather Pouch Travel Set, and Leatherology Clamshell Makeup Bag Set.

What travel items make travel easier?

Today, we have several innovative and creative products on the market that make your travel easier. It could be as simple as a luggage weighing scale, reusable water bottles, multiport/adapters, space-saving bags, packing cubes, sleep masks, and honestly, this is a never-ending list.

Before dealing with the Benefits of Travel Agency Tour Packages and how they make us stress free Vacation, you must first understand who these travel agencies are and what their Travel Services are in detail.

Who is a Travel Agency?

A Travel Agency is a company that retails travel packages, offers, and deals to customers looking to travel or plan their trip. Most unorganized travel agents, in general, help with generic tours and packages, i.e., a holiday trip or vacation travel. However, an established and professional travel agent will cater to all types and specialties of tourism, including holiday tourism, eco-tourism, medical tourism, education tourism, wildlife tourism, heritage tourism, etc. 

Is it better to rely on a Travel Agent? Or do it yourself?

When all of us are mechanized with our jobs and household chores, we don’t find time and energy to plan our vacations. Moreover, personally scouting for vacation destinations, shortlisting various travel agency packages, and then finalizing one among them is a laborious process and makes us stressed amid other deeds. Thus, it is always better to rely on a travel agent. Indeed, they take more effort than us to get the best itinerary for our vacation. Ultimately, you get stress free family vacation and can save time for the family or other priority tasks on the list.

What are the competitive Advantages when choosing Travel Agency Tour Packages?

In the last section, we briefly saw why choosing a travel agent for planning your vacation is better than doing it yourself. In this section, let’s see in detail the Benefits of a Travel Agency and its Travel Agency Packages and services.

• End-to-end Travel support

Gone are the days when the role of Travel Agents ended when they were done with their bookings and reservations. Today, their services have evolved by leaps and bounds. 

• Before Travel: Preparing personalized itinerary, giving advice on best tourist destinations, suggesting economical packages, booking tickets for commutation, making reservations at hotels or resorts, etc 
• During Travel: Assisting with airport transfers or car rentals, arranging guides or travel experts,  advising on the best places to visit based on current affairs, etc. 

With all these burdens off your head, you can even plan for hundreds of similar Stress free Vacations with the help of a Travel Agent.  

• Help in emergencies

You can 100% trust your Travel Agent when you go through an emergency during your vacation. They will assist you 24/7 and rescue you and your travel partners by reaching out to the respective tourism associations.

• Effortless travel processes
  • Foreign currency exchange: Money exchange could be daunting if you’re a full-time employee and want to do it personally. First, you have to calculate how much money you need for the trip. Second, find a trusted vendor. Third, exchange for a better price while waiting in the queue. Instead, count on travel agencies; they can save a lot of money for you despite saving your time.   
  • Visa requirements: When you apply for a tourist visa on your own, you may not know the nuances of getting your application through and also end up spending more on unwanted services. On the other hand, a travel agent knows how to get your visa approved and can offer this service as a compliment when choosing their tour packages.
  • Travel insurance: Travel or tour operators are experts in understanding your travel needs and recommending the right travel insurance. Get maximum insurance coverage at discounted prices with the help of travel agents! 

Customized packages 

Experienced Travel Agencies are well-versed in Domestic and International tourist places, the cost of travel, the things to do, etc. In addition, a full-service Travel Agency assigns a personal travel expert who is well-organized, well-aware of various travel packages, and able to suggest the right tour package for your customized needs.

So, be it a Business Trip, Honeymoon Trip, Biodiversity Trip, or, in the worst case, if you’re looking for a cruise-specific package, they can make it happen on your behalf.  Every part of your package is personalized and worthwhile when you choose the right travel agent with years of experience and a legacy in this field.  

Benefits of choosing Emperor Traveline, the Leading Tour Operator in India!

Since its inception in 1980 by the aspiring duo brothers, Mr. K. Chandran and Mr. K. Rajendran, Emperor Traveline has been flying high as one of the leading tour operators in India. It is a unique, self-styling travel organization with a huge set of advantages to benefit from:

An active member of almost all travel associations. Strong relationships with the finest star hotels and luxury vehicles for commutation.

An authorized agent for Southern Railways and all domestic and international airlines. Provide competitive ticket fares when compared to other tour operators or travel companies.

Help with skilled guides at Important Tourist Destinations. Moreover, the employees at Emperor Traveline are qualified, trained, and competent enough to provide travel guidelines and prepare the best itineraries for you.

It includes hill stations other than Kodaikanal; tea estates other than Ootacamund; heritage sites other than Isha; forests other than Anaimalai; lakes other than Avalanche; spiritual centers other than Madurai Meenakshi Amman temple; and beaches other than Marina. 

Did you know? The state is also famous for some of the best road trips. 

Tamilnadu Hidden Tourist Places: Top 10 Picks

• Pichavaram Mangrove Forest
• Poompuhar
• Dhanushkodi
• Berijam Lake
• Airavatesvara Temple
• Sri Ramana Ashram
• Kolukkumalai Tea Estate
• Kalrayan Hills
• Auroville
• Ariyaman Beach

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Pichavaram Mangrove Forest

This destination is located in Chidambaram, Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu. It has the largest mangrove forests in India, along with backwaters. This makes it unique and owing to its unpopularity among people, it attracts fewer visitors when compared to other places in the state. So, if you’re tired of visiting places with higher footfalls, you can try this one and enjoy the serenity. 

Poompuhar

Earlier called ‘Kaveri Pompattinam’, it was once a prosperous port and served as the capital of the Chola kingdom. Now, it serves as an important and unexplored cultural and heritage center. When visiting this tourist place, do not miss the Silappathikara art gallery and Masilamani Nathar Koil (a temple built in the early 1300s).

Dhanushkodi

It is an alluring 15-kilometer beach town that separates the Indian Ocean from the Bay of Bengal. Located at the end of the Pamdab island, this town borders India from Sri Lanka and is called the last road of South India. Dhanushkodi means ‘tip of the bow,’ derived from an important scene in the ‘Ramayana’ when Lord Rama pointed his arrow toward Sri Lanka. Hence, it is one of the best secret places to visit in Tamil Nadu.

Berijam Lake

The forest department in Kodaikanal has set up South India’s first field-oriented eco-education center at Berijam, owing to its rich flora and fauna. It is located in the Dindigul district and sits in the upper Palani hills, southwest of Kodaikanal. A hundred years ago, Britishers visited this place and used it for transit camps.  

Airavatesvara Temple

An archaic temple that was constructed in the 12th century by Raja Raja Chola II. Located in Kumbakonam, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with the world-famous Brihadeeswara Temple in Thanjavur. This temple is also known for its magnificent art and architecture. Visit this destination if you want to worship Lord Shiva (Airavatesvara) with the beautiful carvings of the stories of his Nayanars.

Sri Ramana Ashram

If you’re looking for a unique, divine type of tourism in Tamilnadu, this is the best choice! Situated at the Arunachala foothills in Tiruvannamalai, people visit this hidden gem to experience the most powerful spiritual vibrations of Ramana Maharishi. Once the home of the great Ramana Maharshi is now turned out to be his ashram called ‘Sri Ramanasramam’. 

Kolukkumalai Tea Estate

Kolukkumalai is a small town in Bodinayakanur, Theni. The tea estate of this town is known for having the world’s highest elevation in tea plantations. In addition, unlike other estates, they process the tea leaves using the most traditional, orthodox methods. You can visit this place to explore slow tea growth (due to the high altitude) and the vintage tea leaf manufacturing process. 

Kalrayan Hills

This hilly region of the eastern ghats extends between two districts of Tamil Nadu, namely Salem and Kallakurichi. It has more than ten waterfalls and, indeed, tops the list of hidden tourist places in Tamilnadu. Taking your children here enables you to cherish the best moments. It has evergreen forests and vegetable plantations throughout the man-occupied areas. 

Auroville

Having its origins in French, the word ‘Aurore’ means dawn, and ‘Ville’ means village, it is a man-made experimental township built in the Villupuram district of the state. The purpose is to unite humans across borders and ensure sustainable living through the transformation of consciousness. It’s still an unexplored destination. And you must visit here to embrace the best tourism in Tamilnadu. 

Look here at the French War Memorial

Ariyaman Beach

Being twenty to thirty kilometers away from Rameshwaram, this is a small, tranquil beach that you can enjoy with your friends and family. Unlike other beaches in the state, this does not experience huge tourist footfalls. This is located exactly in Sattakkonvalasai. Notably, the waters are pristine and crystal clear without pollution.

From tour packages to exotic touring destinations local, domestic and abroad in different segments including corporate, education, family, honeymoon, pilgrimage, and adventure to flight and train ticket reservation to Passport & Visa services, Money transfer, Overseas Insurance, and Overseas SIM card services, our range of service is diverse as much as challenging. At a time when technology was sparse, Emperor Traveline romped up its infrastructure to deliver the best travel booking and related services to our esteemed customers.

When we started off there were not many computer applications, let alone software, tools, and modern-day apps. We carved a route for ourselves in the area of travel services and soon other agencies followed suit. The fact that we were able to expand to Chennai and Hyderabad from Coimbatore early on speaks volumes of our growth.

Emperor Traveline has partnered with other travel service providers and organizations including SIGTOA, TAFI, SKAL, Western Union Money Transfer, Ministry of Tourism (GOI), ATTOI, OTOAI, IATA, ATO, ADTOI, TAAC, Tamilnadu Travel Mart Society, TAAI, Incredible India and many others.

A hallmark of our service is the timely execution of travel bookings and seamless processing of customer orders. We have also gone the extra mile in almost every occasion to bring a smile to our customers. Our customer’s satisfaction is the foundation upon which we have built our business. And as we continue to deliver extraordinary service to our customers, we once again express our sincere gratitude to all our customers. Also, kindly let us know how we can improve our existing customer service further as this will enable us to better our offerings.

But it still remains to be seen how the country’s far from ‘pucca’ transport and tourism infrastructure can cope even if a meager percentage of its 1.25 billion people take the ‘Modi’ challenge seriously!

If everyone does manage to walk ‘Modi’s talk, there in effect would be 18.75 billion trips, or 6.25 billion a year. A report by Google and consultancy firm Bain has it that 1.8 billion trips were made by Indians in 2018. According to the same report, the local trips made by Indians have surged at a CAGR of about 8% in the last 4 years alone.

However, many travel agents feel that the issue is not just confined to that of infrastructure at airports and trains stations. The crux of the problem actually lies in poor connectivity or remote tourist places.

In spite of the many efforts undertaken by the Government in improving road and rail connectivity linking towns and villages, as well as expanding the existing airports and building newer ones, it is still a long road ahead. The increasing travel costs to access remote local areas with insufficient infrastructure can make even travelling to foreign destinations sound cheaper.

Modi though did not assure people that making trips would be easy and wanted them to tour to these destinations even if they lack good hotels, accommodations and other basic facilities. One spinoff for sure would be job opportunities for the local youth and improvement of the local economy.

• When actors turn demi-gods!
  Sudhir Dalvi, a less popular actor, donned the role of Sai Baba in the 1977 movie “Shirdi Ke Sai Baba”. The movie was a huge success in that Dalvi fast became a household name. Interestingly, whenever he was spotted in the streets, Sai Baba devotees would immediately fall at his feet to seek his blessings. Ironically, if industry gossip is to be believed, filmmakers denied him of further opportunities in the cinema world as they didn’t like the idea of an almost god-like figure playing any other roles on the silver screen.
• Jackie Shroff abandoned smoking and drinking while shooting for a film on the great Saint in Shirdi.
  Popular actor of the 1980’s, Jackie Shroff, also played the role of Saibaba in a film made in 2010 – “Malik Ek”. He is reportedly known to have said that he totally abandoned smoking and drinking while the film’s shooting was on. Though the movie didn’t go as Jackie and the film crew expected, it even failed to revive the hopes of an already struggling actor looking to make a decent comeback.
• The Malaysian government wants to invest in Shirdi’s airport.
  In 2016, the Malaysian Government, surprisingly, expressed interest in manning the Shirdi’s airport, in a joint operation with the Government of Maharashtra, for a cost of Rs 1500 crore.
• One can travel all the way from Puri in Odisha to Shirdi
  Shirdi’s railway station, Sainagar Shirdi, is well inter-connected by several trains operating from major cities and towns around India. The railway station, which has been around since March 2009, is a key terminus on the Central Railway line with trains linking to places as distant as Puri and Kokata. The Sainagar Shirdi – Puri Express leaves from Sainagar Shirdi every Sunday, covering a total distance of 1619km with a travel time of about 29 hours, to reach Puri. The Sainagar Shirdi – Kolkata Howrah Junction Superfast Express that starts from Sainagar Shirdi covers a distance of 1790 km with a travel time of about 26 hours to reach Kolkata’s Howrah Junction.
• Shirdi’s literacy rate is higher than the national average.
  The 2011 census reported the average literacy rate of Shirdi town as 70 percent with male and female literacy at 76 percent and 62 percent respectively, as opposed to the national average literacy rate of 59.5 percent.

There is more to it than meets your eye when it comes to visiting Shirdhi. If you are one among the crores of devotees who believe in the miracles of Shirdi Sai Baba, visiting the shrine can make you feel one with the divine spirit and light.

You needn’t be a Saibaba bhakt or even a believer of sort, but you cannot brush aside the contribution of the mystic saint toward the livelihood and economy of Shirdi as a town.  Here are eight mindboggling facts about Shirdi you never know:

• A whopping 60,000 visitors every day!
  As many as 1,00,000 people visit Shirdi over the weekend, with a reported attendance figure of 60,000 visitors every day. The numbers are expected to go as high as 5,00,000 during auspicious days like Ramnavami, Dussehra and Gurupoornima.
• The temple was once privately owned!
  The magnificent temple that forms the basis of Shirdi’s economy was raised in 1922, some four years after the demise of Sai Baba. Shrimant Gopalroa, a Nagpur-based millionaire, commissioned the temple; it enjoyed private status until a certain point of time. Today the temple is owned and managed by the Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust.
• A stunning donation of 110 crore astounds everybody!
  The temple is never short of rich devotees. One KV Ramani, the co-founder of NASSCOM and a well-known philanthropist, has been donating 80 percent of his earnings to the Trust. He donated 110 crores to the trust for constructing an ashram that can easily put up 14,000 devotees! Well, the numbers just keep growing!

We will follow this post up with some more astonishing facts on Shridhi — facts that are stranger than fiction— in the concluding part of the blog.

The temple has been in news recently for the wrong reasons, largely due to the riches and wealth preserved within the temple chambers, and the mystery lurking behind the hidden treasures. Let’s take a quick look at some of the facts that make this temple an intriguing eerie one.

The temple architecture is a classic blend of typical Kerala architecture and Dravidian style particular to TamilNadu. Sri Padmanabha Swami Temple is often referred to as the world’s richest temple with huge reserves of assets and wealth well preserved inside the different chambers of the temple. It’s for this reason that the temple is dubbed as the ‘Golden Temple’.

The main presiding deity of the temple is Lord Vishnu in his characteristic reclining pose on serpent Adisheshan. This posture of the Lord is called by the Hindus as ‘Anantha Shayanam.’  There have been mentions of the shrine in several places in popular Hindu sculptures such as Varaha Purana, Skanda Purana, Brahman Purana and Mahabharata.

Once you’re inside the temple, you can find six chambers in the temple. This is the point beyond where things tend to get murky. The Chamber B, as it is known here, has never been opened hitherto by anyone, inspite of the growing voices within to open the same and make matters open to public view. It is widely believed that this chamber is the home to the idol of Sri Padmanabha Swamy, Srichakram (a.k.a mother of all yantras), and that it is laden with incalculable quantities of wealth and other valuables. People dread the idea of opening the chamber as they believe it can put them to gravest dangers.

Though the temple holds several festivals, the Laksha Deepam festival, is the most followed one, where the temple premises and structure dazzle brightly with one lakh lamps lit to grace the festival that is celebrated once in 6 years. If you are in Thiruvananthapuram next time, make sure you visit the temple just to explore its profound mysteries, if anything.