Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Thiruvananthapuram – Rituals & Festivals

Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Thiruvananthapuram – Rituals & Festivals

Festivals:

There are many festivals related to this temple. The major festivals are bi-annual. The Aipasi festival which is in October/November and the Panguni festival which is in Tamil month Panguni, March/April, lasts for 10 days each. On the ninth day the Maharajah of Travancore, in his capacity as Thrippappoor Mooppan, escorts the deities to the vettakkalam for Pallivetta. Centuries back, the Pallivetta procession was said to pass through Kaithamukku, Kuthiravattom (Kunnumpuram), Pazhaya Sreekanteswaram and Putharikkandam. The festivals culminate with the Aarrattu (holy bath) procession to the Shankumugham Beach.

The word Aarrattu refers to the purificatory immersion of the deities of the temple in sea. This event takes place in the evening. The Maharajah of Travancore escorts the Aarrattu procession on foot. The festival idols "Utsava Vigrahas" of Padmanabhaswamy, Narasimha Moorthi and Krishna Swami are given a ritual bath in the sea, after the prescribed pujas. After this ceremony, the idols are taken back to the temple in a procession that is lit by traditional torches, marking the conclusion of the festival.

A major annual festival related to Padmanabha temple is the Navaratri festival. The idols of Saraswathi Amman, Mun Uditha Nangai (Parasakthi who appeared before Saraswathi, Lakshmi and Parvati to help them identify their husbands who had been transformed into infants by the power of chastity of Anusuya) and Kumara Swami (Murugan) are brought to the Kuthira Malika palace in front of Padmanabha temple as a procession. This festival lasts for 9 days. The famous Swathi music festival is held every year during this festival.

The biggest festival in this temple is Laksha deepam, which means hundred thousand (or one lakh) lamps. This festival is unique and commences once in 6 years. Prior to this festival, chanting of prayers and recitation of three Vedas is done for 56 days (Murajapam). On the last day, hundred thousand oil lamps are lit in and around the temple premises. The next Laksha deepam is slated in January 2020.

Apart from the above festivals, the following festivals are also celebrated here;

1) Kalabham – 8th to 14th January – Makaraseeveli at 08:30 PM Perunthiramruthu Pooja

2) Panguni Uthsavam – March – April – 10th day Arrattu

3) Vishu – 14th April – Vishu Kani Darshan at 05:00 am

4) Kalabham – 11th to 16th July - Karkkidaka Seeveli Perunthiramruthu Pooja

5) Niraputhari – July to August 

6) Thiruvonam – Onavillucharth (Onavillu) August – September

7) Vinayaka Chaturthi – held at Agrasala – August – September

8) Sree Krishna Jayanti – Ashtami Rohini – August – September

9) Valiya Ganapathi Homam – 12 days annually – September – October

10) Navaratri - September – October

11) Aippasi Uthsavam – October – November – 10 days Arrattu

12) Swargavathil Ekadasi – December 

Priests:

Temples where 'Swamiyar Pushpanjali' is conducted are claimants to extra sanctity. Sannyasins from any one of the monasteries founded by the disciples of Adi Sankara in Thrissur do Pushpanjali (flower worship) daily to Padmanabha, Narasimha Moorthi and Krishna Swami. Of these monasteries, Naduvil Madhom is the most important as Vilvamangalathu Swamiyar, the founder of this Temple, belonged to this monastery. Initially, Koopakkara Potties were the Tantries of the Temple.

Later, Tantram was transferred to Tharananallur Nambuthiripads of Iranjalakkuda. The Nambis, altogether four in number, are the Chief Priests of the Temple. Two Nambis - Periya Nambi and Panchagavyathu Nambi - are allotted to Padmanabha and one Nambi each to Narasimha Moorthi and Krishna Swami. The Nambis hail from either side of the Chandragiri River. They are appointed by the Pushpanjali Swamiyar.