THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Murajapam-Lakshadeepam festival, held once in every six years, will begin at the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple on Thursday (November 20). The inclusion of Atharva Veda in the murajapam, the ritualistic chanting of vedas, will be a novelty this year.
The 56-day-long festival involves the recital of vedas culminating with the Lakshadeepam, lighting of one lakh lamps, on the Makar-Sankranti which falls on January 14. In the past editions, only Rigveda, Samaveda and Yajurveda were recited. Vedic scholars from across the country attend the event which was started during the reign of King Marthanda Varma.
This year monks from the Sringeri, Uduppi, Uttaradi and Kanchi Kamakodi mutts and Chinna Jeeyar Swami from Hyderabad will participate. Keralite scholars include Azhvanchery Thambrakkal, vadhyans from Tirunavaya and Thrissur, vaidiks from Kaimukku, Pandal, Kaplingad and Cherumukku.
During murajapam, vedas are chanted in seven cycles or muras, each lasting for eight days. Each cycle ends with a colourful procession named ‘muraseeveli’ in which the priests carry the festival idols of Lord Sree Padmanabhaswamy, Lord Narasimha Swamy and Lord Thiruvambadi Sreekrishna Swami in decorated vahanas.
The procession will be accompanied by Moolam Tirunal Rama Varma, head of the erstwhile Travancore royal family. Poojas will be led by thantris Govindan Namboodiripad, Pradeep Namboodiripad, Satheesan Namboodiripad and Saji Namboodiripad.
Vedamandapas will be set up on the four nadas of the temple. Pushpanjali Swamiyar Oravankara Achutha Bharathi will light the deepam on the vedamandapam on the east nada at 4.30pm on Wednesday, temple administration committee members said on Tuesday.
Cultural programmes will be held during the festival days. Telugu actor Rana Daggubati will inaugurate the cultural programmes titled ‘Vande Padmanabham’ at 5pm on Thursday.