THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The renovation work of the main idol at Sree Padmanabha Swamy began here on Wednesday. The temple management has informed that ‘darshan’ will be allowed only till 10 am in the forenoon till this month -end.
Temple executive officer executive officer K N Satheesh said that the repair work involves the pasting of ‘kadusarkara yogam’ at the dilapidated portions of the idol. The idol of Lord Sree Padmanabha Swamy is made of ‘kadusarkara yogam’, a complex mix of numerous ingredients like earth, ‘kashayams’, cereals, tree resins and spices.
The refurbishment work is being conducted by a team led by Kanipayyur Makan Krishnan Namboodiripad. The laborious task of preparing the ‘kadusarkara yogam’ was executed by a team comprising Thekumanmadhom Pradeep Namboodiri, Ratheesh Namboodiri, Harikrishnan Namboodiri and Suresh Bhattathiripad.
Alpasi Festival
The Alpasi festival will begin on October 10. The ‘tantric’ rituals in connection with the festival will begin with the ‘mannuneerukoral’ ritual on October 7. The rituals ‘praakarasudhi’, ‘bimbasudhi’, ‘homakalasam’, ‘tatwahomam’, ‘tatwa kalasam’ and ‘brahmakalasam’ will be held on the following days.
‘Seeveli’, the ceremonial procession circumambulating the inner complex of the temple, will be held on the festival days. The idol of the presiding deities will be taken on ‘vahanam’ (carrier) in gold and silver during the ‘seeveli’ days.
The ‘seeveli’ dates and corresponding ‘vahanas’ are: October 13 (Simhasana vahanam), October 14 (Anantha vahanam), October 15 (Kamala vahanam), October 16 (Pallaku vahanam), October 17 (Garuda vahanam), October 18 (Indra vahanam), October 19 (Pallaku vahanam), October 20, 21 and 22 (Garuda Vahanam).
The ‘valiyakanikka’ ritual will be held on October 20 and ‘Pallivetta’ on October 21. The festival will conclude with ‘aarattu’ on October 22. The temple management said that devotees can give ‘utsava kalasams’ and ‘utsava sreebalis’ as offering. The ‘utsava kalasams’ will be held from October 14 to October 21. Music concerts will be held on all festival days at Sree Padam gate ‘mandapam’ and performing art forms at ‘Thulabhara mandapam.’