THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Marking the traditional commencement of this year’s Navratri celebrations, the idols from Padmanabhapuram Palace arrived in the city on Sunday to a grand reception. Accompanied by traditional musical ensembles and elaborate rituals, the grand welcome transformed Thiruvananthapuram into a vibrant festive space, drawing hundreds of faithful participants.
The grand procession brought the idols of Velimala Kumaraswamy, Goddess Saraswati, and Suchindram Munnuttinanga to the heart of the city. The journey, which officially commenced from Padmanabhapuram on Friday, reached the city after the sacred ‘Irakki pooja’ rituals held at Kuzhiturai and the Neyyattinkara Sree Krishna Swamy Temple.
Hundreds of devotees lined both sides of the roads at key junctions including Nemom, Karamana, and East Fort with traditional offerings (thattam) to welcome the idols as the procession concluded in front of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple. Earlier at the Karamana Avadiyamman Kovil, the traditional aarattu ritual was performed for Goddess Saraswati, while the idol of Kumaraswamy was taken out in a ceremonial procession atop a decorated silver horse.
Upon arriving at the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple, prominent members of the erstwhile Travancore royal family and senior temple officials ritually received the procession. The ceremonial sword (udaval) brought along with the procession was formally accepted following consecration rituals.
The idol of Goddess Saraswati was placed at the Navratri mandapam within the temple premises for worship. Meanwhile, Kumaraswamy was seated for traditional worship at the Aryasala Devi Temple, and Munnuttinanga was consecrated at the Chenthitta Bhagavathy Temple.
With rituals successfully performed along the banks of the Padmatheertham pond, it marked the ceremonious commencement of the nine-day-and-night celebrations. Navratri poojas and the renowned classical music festival at the mandapam are set to begin this evening.
