416 weddings in seven hours: Keralam’s Guruvayur sets a new record

Account subscription benefits alongside Premium Stories, Editorials, Opinions and more. Unlock these with Subscription

Heavy rush at Sreekrishna Temple, Guruvayur, on Sunday as the temple witnessed 416 weddings. | Photo Credit: Special arrangement

It was a wedding marathon at the Sreekrishna Temple, Guruvayur, on Sunday (August 23, 2026) as 416 couples tied the knot in just over seven hours, setting a new record at the famous temple town.

The ceremonies began at 4.10 a.m. and continued until 12.45 p.m., barring brief breaks when the temple remained closed for the Ushapooja and Pantheeradi Pooja. The 416 weddings surpassed the previous record of 334 marriages held on September 8, 2024.

As many as 442 weddings, including spot bookings, had been scheduled for the day.

The wedding rush began at 4.10 a.m. after Devaswom chairman A.V. Gopinath lit the ceremonial lamp at the first wedding mandapam on the eastern entrance. Kannur-Thalassery native Arnav Mohan Kumar tied the thali around Vidya Anand Raj of Pazhayangadi, accompanied by the traditional notes of the mangalavadyam.

Five other mandapams soon came alive as couples began taking turns to complete their ceremonies.

Heavy rush at Sreekrishna Temple, Guruvayur, on Sunday as the temple witnessed 416 weddings. | Photo Credit: Special arrangement

The unprecedented rush brought a massive security and support operation into action. More than 100 civil police personnel were deployed around the temple.

Fire and Rescue Services personnel stood ready near the temple’s inner-ring road for emergencies, while doctors and health workers from the Devaswom Medical Centre operated an emergency medical camp at the southern entrance.

Devaswom officials and employees worked throughout the morning to keep the ceremonies moving smoothly. Representatives of the Guruvayur municipality also reached the eastern entrance to support the arrangements.

By 12.45 p.m., the extraordinary wedding rush had drawn to a close—with 416 couples having exchanged vows in a single morning.

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.