Kerala's most important Krishna shrine, the high-walled temple of Guruvayur, 29km northwest of Thrissur, attracts a constant flow of pilgrims, second only in volume to Ayappa's at Sabarimala. Its deity, Guruvayurappan, has inspired numerous paeans from Keralan poets, most notably Narayana Bhattatiri who wrote the Narayaniyam during the sixteenth century, when the temple, whose origins are legendary, seems to have first risen to prominence.

One of the richest temples in Kerala, Guruvayar temple is open from very early morning to late at night awash with pilgrims in their best white clothes, often trimmed with gold. Closed to non-Hindus, the temple has turned away many famous people in its time.

Of the temple's twenty-four annual festivals, the most important are Ekadashi and Ulsavam. During the eighteen days of Ekadashi, in the month of Vrischikam (Nov/Dec), marked by processions of caparisoned elephants outside the temple, the exterior of the building may be decorated with the tiny flames of innumerable oil lamps. During Ulsavam, in the month of Kumbham (Feb/March), tantric rituals are conducted inside, an elephant race is run outside on the first day and elephant processions take place during the ensuing six days. On the ninth day, the Palivetta, or "hunt" occurs; the deity, mounted on an elephant, circumambulates the temple accompanied by men dressed as animals, who represent human weaknesses such as greed and anger, and are vanquished by the god. The next night sees the image of the god taken out for ritual immersion in the temple tank; devotees greet the procession with oil lamps and throw rice. It is considered highly auspicious to bathe in the tank at the same time as the god.