Arattu at Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple in Kerala
|| Kerala Festival || Aaranmula Boat Race || Attukal Pongala || Christmas in Kerala || Deepavali in Kerala || Easter in Kerala || Maha Shivaratri in Kerala || Muslim Festivals in Kerala || Nehru Trophy Boat Race || Onam Festival || Arattu at Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple || Pooram festival || Sabarimala Pilgrimage || Thiruvathira in Kerala || Various Kerala Festivals || Vishu Festival ||
Arattu festival is celebrated on the concluding day of the ten-day festival in the Lord Padmanabha temple at Thiruvananthapuram. Two festivals are held in a year at this temple—one falls in the Malayalam month of Thulam (October-November) and the other in Meenam (March-April). On the ending day, the ceremonial procession of the Lord is held which is known as Arattu. On this day when Ex-maharaja enters the temple, some rituals are performed before the procession. Music and song accompany the procession. The procession is taken out to the Sanghumugham beach.
A caparisoned elephant leads the procession and drum is beaten and other decorated elephants also join the procession. Starting its journey at 5 pm the procession reaches the seashore after an hour. Then the ceremonial bath is taken by each at the sea.
