The annual procession carrying Navaratri idols which began from Padmanabhapuram Palace on Saturday, passing through Karamana in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday.
| Photo Credit: NIRMAL HARINDRAN
The procession of Navaratri idols from Padmanabhapuram Palace in neighbouring Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu reached Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in the city on Monday evening, marking the formal beginning of the annual Navaratri celebrations.
The idols of Goddess Saraswathi, mounted on a caparisoned elephant, from Padmanabhapuram Thevarakkett; the idol of Kumaraswamy from Velimalai Murugan Temple atop a silver horse; the idol of Munnuttinanga from Sthanumalayan Temple in a decorated palanquin, and the ‘Uduvaal’ (ceremonial sword taken in front of the procession by a representative of the Tamil Nadu Devaswom) were given a reception held with the support of the Union Ministry of Tourism at Killipalam by Antony Raju, MLA; senior Congress leader K. Muraleedharan, Travancore Devaswom Board president P.S. Prasanth; and Valiyasala ward councillor S. Krishnakumar, and office-bearers of the Travancore Navaratri Festival Trust were present. A kathakali programme was held on the occasion.
Thirty members of the women’s police battalion gave a guard of honour to the procession.
Later, members of the royal family of erstwhile Travancore received the idols at Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple.
The idol of Goddess Saraswathi and the Uduvaal will be installed at Navaratri Mandapam, the idol of Kumaraswamy and the 1,000-kg silver horse at Arysala Devi temple, and idol of Munnuttinanga and the palanquin at Chenthitta Devi temple till October 4.
The idols will then return to Padmanabhapuram in a return procession. The city police, led by District Police Chief (Thiruvananthapuram) will give the idols a guard of honour at Killipalam on the return journey. The idols will reach the respective temples in Kanyakumari from October 5 to 7, bringing the curtain down on this year’s Navarathri celebrations.
Meanwhile, cultural programmes involving artistes from various States will be held at Nemom Cooperative Kalyana Mandapam from Tuesday to October 5.
A children’s painting competition will be held at 8 p.m on September 27. A medical camp will be held on October 1 at the Kalyana Mandapam from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., trust secretary S.R. Ramesh said.
Published – September 22, 2025 10:42 pm IST
