Guruvayur Temple Wedding Rush: 377 Ceremonies Booked For August 23

Guruvayur Sree Krishna Temple in Kerala is preparing for a huge wedding rush on August 23, with 377 marriages already booked for the first Sunday of the Malayalam month of Chingam. The number could cross 400 as bookings remain open.

If all 377 ceremonies take place, the temple will set a new single day record. In September 2024, 334 weddings were conducted in one day, surpassing the earlier record of 277 in 2017 and 248 in 2022.

Another 295 weddings are booked for August 30, taking the two Sunday totals to 672.

The Devaswom has planned special arrangements for the rush. Weddings on both days will begin at 4 am. Six mandapams will be used, with extra temple staff and mangalavadyam teams. Police and security personnel will also help manage devotees and wedding parties.

Only 24 people, including photographers, will be allowed near a mandapam with the bride and groom.

Guruvayur is famous not only as one of Kerala’s best known pilgrimage centres, but also for its strong link with weddings, Malayalam culture and cinema. Several films have featured the temple and its traditions. These include the classic Guruvayur Kesavan and Nandanam.

The connection was highlighted again by Guruvayoor Ambalanadayil, the 2024 comedy starring Prithviraj Sukumaran and Basil Joseph. The film centres on a wedding linked to Guruvayur. Interestingly, director Vipin Das said not a single scene was shot inside the actual temple. A temple set was created for filming.

With bookings still open, Guruvayur is now preparing for what could become its biggest wedding day on record.