THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The annual Alpashi festival is drawing huge crowds to the Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple. The visitors include domestic and other-state devotees, said the temple management which has revised the darshan timings to felicitate special rituals as part of the festival.
On Friday, the ritual began with the customary palliyunarthal and nirmalya darshan at 5am followed by mulapooja. The rituals in the evening included sreebhoothabali and ulsavasreebali on pallinilavu vahanam. Cultural programmes on the day included classical dance performances including bharatanatyam, Geetha Govindam recital and bhajans. Large number of devotees participated in the bhajan.
Saturday’s rituals include sreebhoothabali and ulsavasreebali on garudavahanam at 4.30pm and 8.30pm. Classical dance performances will begin at the East Nada stage at 5pm and bakthiganamrutham -- devotional music concert -- at the thulabharamandapam at 5pm. It will be followed by a bharatanatyam performance at 5.45pm and carnatic music concert at 6.30pm. The rituals will be held under the leadership of thantris Tharananellor Satheesan Nabmoodiripad and Tharananelloor Saji Namboodiripad.
The colourful valiyakanikka ritual will be held on October 28 at 8.30pm, which will be followed by sreebhoothabali and ulsavasreebali on garudavahanam. The pallivetta ritual, led by the head of the erstwhile Travancore royal family, will be held on October 29 at 8.30pm. The ulsavasreebali on garudavahanam will be held at 4.30pm and 8.30pm.
The festival will conclude with the arattu ritual on October 30. A colourful procession, led by the head of the erstwhile royal family, carrying the deities will begin from the temple in the evening. It will feature caparisoned elephants, traditional temple orchestras and armed guards. The procession will be accorded reception at various places en route to the Shankumukham beach where the arattu ceremony will be held.
Darshan Timings
26.10.2025 3.30am-4.45am, 6.30am-7am, 10.30am-noon, 5.30pm-6pm
27.10.2025 3.30am-4.45am, 6.30am- 7am, 10.30am-noon, 5.30pm-6pm
28.10.2025 3.30am-4.45am, 6.30am-7am, 10.30am -noon, 5.30pm-6pm
29.10.2025 3.30am-4.45am, 6.30am-7am, 10.30am-noon, 5.30pm-5.45pm
30.10.2025 5.15am-6am, 8.30am-10am, no darshan in the evening
