Navaratri idol procession from Padmanabhapuram reaches Thiruvananthapuram as the Alpashi festival flag is hoisted at Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple

11 October 2026

The Navaratri idol procession from Padmanabhapuram reached Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday, October 11, after a journey of three days and two nights.
The idol of Goddess Saraswati from the Padmanabhapuram Thevarakkettu came on an elephant, Suchindram Munnootti Nanga in a palanquin and Velimala Kumaraswamy on a silver horse.
The procession, which carries the sacred sword of the erstwhile Travancore rulers, had begun at Padmanabhapuram Palace with the handover of the sword.
At East Fort, Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma, the Sthani of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, welcomed the idols; after the Arattu at Padmatheertham, Saraswati was installed at the Pakadashala, with the Puja Vaippu at the Navaratri Mandapam set for the next morning.
On the same day the flag was hoisted for the Alpashi festival at Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple; its Arattu will be held at Shangumugham beach on Vijayadashami.