There is music in the air that is redolent with the fragrance of incense, camphor and jasmine. The sizzle and crackle of tempering and frying are accompanied by the aroma of sweets and savouries. Silks rustle and bangles tinkle as women get together for the Navaratri celebrations that began on Wednesday.
For nine evenings, the city turns into one big venue with music and dance programmes springing up all over the city. From the 100-plus-year-old Navaratri Mandapam in the city to a new music school, music, dance, arts and letters are revered and celebrated all through the nine days of Navaratri.
Accompanied by pageantry and tradition, the Navaratri festival has a special place in the capital city from the days when it was the capital of erstwhile Travancore. As such, the festivities begin from Kanyakumari district in Tamil Nadu, once a part of Travancore.
Right from the time, the Navaratri procession sets out from Padmanabhapuram in Tamil Nadu, the city celebrates a long and hoary tradition that began more than a 100 years ago.
The procession of Navaratri idols from Tamil Nadu reaches Thiruvananthapuram, signalling the start of the nine-day Navaratri festival
The idols of Munnoottinanga, Kumara swami and Saraswathi arrive in a procession to Thiruvananthapuram to be a part of the Navaratri festival. The city’s connection to the Navaratri traditions is deep and intangible.
Munnoottinanga travels the longest distance — all the way from Suchindram. She arrives a day ahead, travelling in her palanquin and halts at Padmanabhapuram, while Kumara swami arrives from Velimala. In the meantime, the idol of Saraswathi Devi, housed in the Padmanabhapuram Palace, too gets ready to embark on the festive journey.
The rituals and practices laid down over the centuries by the rulers of erstwhile Travancore continue in spirit even to this day. The ceremonial procession that begins in Padmanabhapuram Palace enjoys official status and honour, presided over by ministers from the Kerala government, officials from the Devaswom, police and other departments. The pageant sets off after the sword of the Travancore Maharajas in the Upparika Malika in the palace is handed over to the Devaswom Minister.
The procession travels on foot for two days with night halts at Kuzhithura and Sreekrishnaswamy temple at Neyyattinkara.
Rousing receptions
It is given receptions en route and a rousing welcome by the royal family and the public on arrival in front of the Padmanabha Swami temple. The Saraswathi idol, along with the sword, is then taken to the Navaratri Mandapam to be worshipped with rituals, music and dance for all days of the festival.
Having accompanied Saraswathi Devi up to the Navaratri Mandapam, Kumara swami and Munnoottinanga go to the Aryashala Devi temple and the Chenthitta Bhagavathi temple respectively, where they are housed until they return to their abodes after the festival.
Devotees worshipping the silver horse on which Kumaraswamy came from Kumarakovil in Kanyakumari district for the Navaratri Celebrations at the Aryasala Devi temple in Thiruvananthapuram
Kumara swami, who has escorted the goddesses as the Senapathi or Commander, rides his silver horse, (believed to have been a gift from Velu Thampi Dalava), to the Aryashala temple and is housed there.
In her temporary abode in the Chenthitta Devi temple, Munnoottinanga or Kundani Manga, as she is colloquially called, her name is written as Ambal Mun Uditha Nanga.
Oasis of peace
The Chenthitta temple, though right in the bustle of the city, is a calm oasis, where Bhagavathi is the principal deity. Munnoottinanga is housed in an exclusive chamber and there are special rituals during Navaratri. There is Kalamezhuthu on all nine days, depicting the different manifestations of the goddess. On the day of Vidyarambham, children are initiated into the world of letters.
The Poojappura Saraswathi Mandapam, as the name suggests, has long been a centre for Navaratri festivities, where art, music and literature are celebrated. In the yesteryear, the Poojappura Ezhunallathu was an event that the public used to look forward to — the Maharaja of Travancore used to arrive in a royal procession and conduct the Pallivetta.
Mandapam events
During the reign of Swathi Thirunal Maharaja, Poojappura used to be a platform for debates on different branches of knowledge like Vyakarana, Jyothisha, Tharka, Meemamsa and so on. Renowned scholars like Irayimman Thampi and Kilimanoor Raja Raja Varma Koithampuran, also known as Kareendran, took an active part in the conduct of these sessions. The Poojappura mandapam still comes to life on all days of the Navaratri with music concerts, dance recitals and literary sessions, including Akshara shloka and the Ezhuthachan Sammelanam.
The Kanakasabha Darsanam takes place every night at 8.30, when the main idol of Saraswathi (moola vighraham) is taken out of the temple to the mandapam and offered abhishekam to the accompaniment of Saraswathi kirtanams. On Vijayadashami day, during Vidyarambham, initiating children to letters, dance and music takes place from early morning onwards. At around 10 am, Kumara swami arrives on his silver horse, when he is received and seated in the mandapam.
The air of festivity is exalted with the Kavadi procession arriving at noon from the Chengalloor Mahadeva temple and Kavadi abhishekam performed. Kumara swami returns after the Pallivetta in the evening.
Navaratri being over, it is a day of rest before the deities are taken back to their respective abodes.
For many, the farewell is an emotional moment, as the procession leaves for Tamil Nadu and the festival officially comes to an end. Till the advent of Navaratri the next year.
