THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The annual Navaratri procession began from the Padmanabhapuram Palace to the state capital on Wednesday. After an initial confusion, the authorities later decided to conduct the celebration abiding by the Covid-19 protocol. Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran handed over the ancient sword to the Kanyakumari Devaswom joint commissioner marking the start of the procession. The ceremony was held at the Upparikka Malika of the Padmanabhapuram Palace, the former seat of the erstwhile Travancore royals.
This year, the governments of Kerala and Tamil Nadu have enforced certain restrictions in the wake of the pandemic. The changes in customs, to do away with the elephant parading and the silver horse statue, was in consultation with the Padmanabhaswamy temple thantri and the Brahmana Sabha. The idols are taken on palanquins, each carried by four persons.
The idols in the procession are goddess Saraswati worshipped at the Thevarakkettu of the Padmanabhapuram palace, Kumaraswami of the Velimala temple and Munnoottinanka of Sucheendram temple. Usually, the idol of Kumaraswami was carried atop the silver horse. The procession will start from Kuzhithura on Thursday morning and reach Kaliyakkavilai at Kerala border at 8.30am. The pageantry will halt at Neyyattinkara Sreekrishna temple in the night.
On Friday, the procession will reach the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple at 4pm. The idol of goddess Saraswati and the ceremonial sword will be kept at the Saraswati mandapam in the temple where it will be worshipped during the Navaratri festival days.
Restrictions
As part of Covid-19 curbs, the procession will move on the road only on lean hours. Devotees have
been asked to avoid wayside receptions.