THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The annual Alpashi festival at Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple concluded with the aarattu ceremony on Wednesday. During the ritual, the idols of Lord Sree Padmanabhaswamy, Lord Sree Krishna, and Lord Narasimha were brought out of the temple through the west gate. Afterwards, they were taken in a colourful procession for the ritualistic bath in the sea at Shankumugham. The procession started in the evening and returned at night with traditional torches.
Travancore royal family head Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma and other members of the family escorted the procession holding drawn swords and shields. Upon reaching Shanghumugham, the idols were placed at the aarattu mandapam, the grand old stone structure on the beach. The idols were given a ritualistic bath in the sea.
Traditional temple orchestras, armed police personnel, and members of the Madras Regiment, mounted police, and men in traditional attire of the soldiers of the erstwhile Travancore royal army were part of the procession. As part of the procession, some flights were rescheduled at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport.