THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The annual Painguni festival will begin at the Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple on Wednesday. The temple premises have been decked up to receive devotees from far and near. Huge effigies of Pandavas have been erected on the premises as per tradition.
The festival will begin with the hoisting of flags in front of the shrines of Lord Sree Padmanabha Swamy and Lord Krishna. The rituals will be led by thantris Pradeep Namboodiripad and Satheesan Namboodiripad. The flag hoisting in front of Sree Padmanabha Swamy shrine is scheduled between 9am and 9.56am.
The mannuneerukoral ritual, which was postponed earlier, will be held at 10.15am. The valiya kanikka ritual will be held on April 13. The pallivetta ritual is on April 14 and arattu will be held next day. There will be ceremonial processions or the kazhcha sreebali in the temple complex on all days.
During the procession, the idol will be taken on special carriages of different shapes. They are simhasana vahanam, anantha vahanam, kamala vahanam, pallinilaavu vahanam, garuda vahanam and indra vahanam. Scholars from Kancheepuram will recite Yajurveda on festival days. Cultural programmes will be held in the mornings and evenings. On Wednesday, the Natyasala Kathakali Sangham will stage Rugminiswayamvaram kathakali.