In 2025, the Navaratri festival will begin on Monday, September 22, and conclude on Wednesday, October 1, with Vijayadashami celebrated on October 2.
The traditional Navaratri procession from Padmanabhapuram Palace in Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu, to Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, will take place during this time, with the ceremonial handover of the sword and the start of the procession happening near the beginning of the festival.
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| Navaratri at Padmanabhapuram Palace, Kerala. manorama.com |
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| Procession from Padmanabhapuram palace,,manorama.com |
While Kerala celebrates Navaratri with less pomp compared to other southern states, focusing on the last three days—Ashtami, Navami, and Vijayadashami—a unique and deeply traditional event takes place at the Padmanabhapuram Palace. This historic palace, a magnificent wooden structure in Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu, is under the control of the Travancore royal family. The Navaratri celebration here is a centuries-old ritual that involves a religious procession of deities from Tamil Nadu to Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala, and their subsequent return. This cross-border journey highlights the deep-rooted faith and historical ties between the two regions.
The celebration, which has been observed since 1015 in the Malayalam era, centers around the belief that Padmanabhaswamy, the tutelary deity of the Travancore royal family, is the divine ruler of the kingdom. The festival begins with a significant ritual: the ceremonial handing over of the sword of the former Maharajas of Travancore. This sword, an integral part of the celebration, is first handed over by the Director of Archaeology and Palace Superintendent to a senior official of the Tamil Nadu government's Hindu Religious and Endowment Board (HR & CE). Following this, the Kerala Governor, in the presence of the Dewaswom Board and Health Minister, gives the sword to a representative of the Travancore Maharaja. The sword is then taken to the Padmanabhapuram Thevarkattu Saraswathi Amman Temple and placed at the feet of the deity.
Padmanabhapuram palace,learningandcreativity.com
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| Padmanabhapuram palace, Kerala.livemint.com |
Above image: Padmanabhapuram palace owned by the Maharajah of Travancore at Padmanabhapuram near Thuckalay in the Kanyakumari district. Though it is in the state of Tamil Nadu, the palace is under the control of the Maharajah and so is the place where it is located as per GO......
After special pujas, the procession begins its three-day, 60-kilometer journey to the Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram. The procession includes three main idols: Goddess Saraswati carried atop a caparisoned elephant, Velayutha Perumal on a decorated silver horse, and Munnuthitha Nangai in a palanquin. These idols originate from temples in the Kanyakumari district: the Padmanabhapuram Thevarkattu Saraswathi Amman Temple, Velimalai Murugan Temple, and Sthanumalayan Temple in Suchindram, respectively. The deities are given a "guard of honor" by both Kerala and Tamil Nadu police as they cross the state border, a testament to the inter-state cooperation for this sacred tradition.
The religious procession will begin its onward journey to the Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram. - a three-day journey across 60km. The idols are sent off with a “guard of honor’’ by Kerala and Tamil Nadu police.
Upon reaching Karamana, a suburb of Thiruvananthapuram, the procession is met with great fanfare. The head of the Travancore royal family worships the idols at the East Gate before they are taken to their respective abodes for the duration of the festival. The idol of Goddess Saraswati is taken to the Kuthiramalika Palace, while Velayudha Perumal is housed at the Aryasala temple and Munnuttinanka at the Chenthitta temple.
An interesting legend surrounds the idol of Goddess Munnuthitha Nangai. She is believed to be a mediator who informs Lord Padmanabha about Lord Kumaraswami's love for Valli, a village girl, and is tasked with settling their marriage.
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| Navaratri Mandabam, Padmanabhapuram palace, Kerala. Zon kerala.com |
Once the ten-day festivities are concluded, the deities are reverently returned to their respective temples in the Kanyakumari district, completing the unique Navaratri journey that has been a part of the region's cultural fabric for centuries. This annual ritual is a beautiful example of how faith and tradition transcend geographical boundaries Based on an old post October 23,2020
