Fodor's Expert Review Janardhana Swamy Temple
Varkala
Known as Dakshin Kashi, or the Varanasi of the south, Varkala is a major center for the worship of Vishnu. At the Janardhana Swamy temple, you can see what happens at a popular Hindu pilgrimage destination—the prayers; the morning and evening aarti (devotions), when the gods are feted with oil lamps; and the customs of the devotees. Non-Hindus are not allowed inside the inner sanctum, but you can certainly view the architecture and soak up the atmosphere of this pretty and very busy 2,000-year-old temple.
Photographs of the deity are not allowed, and there may be a charge for using a camera outside.
