The Janardhana Swamy Temple is located on a hill, on Beach Road, half way between Varkala town and Varkala beach. It's reached via a long climb of stairs to the top. However, only Hindus are allowed to enter the temple's inner sanctum.
The temple is has been an important Hindu pilgrimage site since the 12th Century. All around the temple, there are strikingly crafted and painted images of Lord Hanuman in various poses.
Hanuman, the Hindu monkey god of power and strength, helped Lord Rama (a re-incarnation of Lord Vishnu) to rescue his wife Sita from the demon king Ravana.