Thiruvananthapuram: The famous ‘Aarat’ procession was taken out in a grand manner at Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple here with devotees taking part in various rituals on the final day of Alpashi festival celebrations. This ‘Aarattu’ and Alphasi festivities concluded on Monday with traditional ceremonies.
On the final day, 4th November 2019, the ‘Aarattu’ procession was taken out as a part of the celebrations wherein the temple deities including Sree Padmanabha Swamy, Narasimha Murthy and Thiruvambady Krishna were carried in a procession from the temple to seaside (Shanghumughom Beach) and bathed in a holy manner as per rituals and procedures. Flight services were suspended for a few hours and runway closed in Trivandrum airport because of the important procession.
(VIDEO) PROCESSION:
In this temple, the ‘Aarat’ procession will be held twice every year and the temple authorities make grand arrangements for this bi-annual event.
The God will be taken in a procession which was led by the head of the Royal family of erstwhile Travancore Sree Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma wielding the ceremonial sword. The idols were brought back to the temple and with this the ‘Alpasi’ festival celebrations concluded on 4th November 2019 evening.
