Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple is a huge structure located
in the heart of the thiruvananthapuram city with a 100 feet gopuram
(tower). This richly sculptured structure was renovated in 1733. The
presiding deity Sree Padmanabhaswamy is Lord Vishnu, reclining on
the serpent 'Anantha'. The temple has a blend of Dravidian and Kerala
style architecture and sprawls over a vast area. The entry to the
shrine is restricted to only Hindus.
Pallivetta (Royal hunt) and Arattu (Holy bath) are two important
rituals held as part of the festivals in some of the major temples
in Kerala. The uniqueness of the Arattu at Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple
is that the head of the royal family of the erstwhile Travancore kingdom
still escorts the idols during the procession donning his traditional
attire.
During Pallivetta the head of the royal family shoots a tender coconut
using a bow and arrow. This ritual is symbolic of Lord Vishnu (the
presiding deity of the shrine) hunting down the demon of evil in a
forest and is held in front of the Sundravilasam Palace inside the
Thiruvananthapuram fort. The Pallivetta is held on the eve of Arattu.
The
Arattu procession takes place in the late afternoon. Images
of Sree Padmanabhaswamy, Sree Krishna and Sree Narasimha are
carried along the three miles route to the shores of the Arabian
Sea, at Shanghumukham, escorted by members of the royal family
and armed police contigents. These customs and traditions have
been practised down the centuries.
A
procession in the light of traditional torches, escorts the
purified idols back to the temple, marking the conclusion of
the grand festival.
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