seeveli

14.04.2011

It was evening 8.30. I decided to eat idli from the thattukada near Bhajanapura palace. I also wanted to go to Padmanabha swamy temple. It is seeveli time.
So I first went to Padmanabhaswamy temple. I kept my shirt in the scooter and wore the rendan mundu – a cover instead of shirt. Only in this dress we can go inside the temple. The time schedule in this temple is worth emulating. It has been this schedule since decades nay century and is continuing in the same fashion. The difference is that it was oil lit lamps which gave way to electric lamps. We can see electricians climbing up some ladder to light the lamps in the place of men with oil kindis climbing up ladders to light the lamps and to pour oil (some say they carry up empty kindis and the oil in the lamp is shifted to kindis through a small cloth and it is then taken to their homes. This was the incentive money to work in the great temple)
There are two seeveli per day during the Festival. This temple has two festivals in a year. The first seeveli is at 4.30 in the evening and the next at 8.30 in the night.
Each day has a different vahana. Garuda Vahana, Indra vahana, Chapram,
There are many festivals related to this temple. The major festivals are bi-annual. The Alpashy festival which is in October/November and thePainkuni festival which is in March/April, lasts for 10 days each. These festivals culminate with the Aarat (holy bath) procession to theShankumugham Beach. The word Aarat refers to the purificatory immersion of the deities of the temple in sea. This event takes place in the evening. The King of Travancore escorts the Aarat procession by foot. The idols of Sri Padmanabhaswamy, Krishna and Narasimha are given a ritual bathe in the sea, after the prescribed pujas. After this ceremony, the idols are taken back to the temple as a procession in the light of traditional torches, marking the conclusion of the festival.


Sri Krishna after coming from Shankumuka Beach during Aarat Festival


Big Idol of Pandavas displayed during Panguni festival
I have witnessed the festival umpteen number of times. As years pass by, it is pilgrims progress. During the childhood days, we clad a small dhoti and to stick to the body its ends were tied around the neck. At sharp 8.45, the deities of Lord Padmanabha and Narasimha are brought to the eastern gate and deeparadhana is done. Then the procession begins. The elephant which was standing at the western corner starts and the drummer starts ( the rhythem equals to the words “Ane mele Kochanji..Ane mele Kochanji.” The children below 10 years numbering about 15 or 20 used to run before the elephant shouting at their peak of their voices. I also run at times far ahead of the group because I am of the group which wants to show that they are not afraid of the elephant, but does have the fear.
Nobody from the public is allowed in between the elephant and the last temple servant to accompany. Next to the elephant comes four or five children on each side carrying different flags resembling the king’s days (these children are relatives of those working in the temple and get a few bucks). Then the special nagaswarams are seen ( these instruments are seen only here). They render keerthanas as per the laid down rules. Then the pramukhs and Royal prince and others walk in two rows. After that the King walks in the middle with folded hands smiling at people at both sides and occasionally praying to the Lord and a Brahmin walks just in front of him carrying the sword of the King. Just after the King the three lords follow. At the front and the back of the Lords, the man with the lamp goes and nobody is allowed in between. Behind the deities, a row of ladies clad in Kerala dress with lamps in their hands go. After that there goes the Mulla mootil bhagavathars. We often wonder why these old group sings which is not heard by anybody coming for seeveli. But that is a ritual. The seeveli has three rounds but the king accompanies only for the first round.
The deity of Krishna joins the procession at the western gate where there is another deeparadhana, which is supposed to be witnessed by Indras and 33 kodi devadas. The Royal ladies see this deeparadhana from the North West side. As a child I used to wait for having a glance of these beautiful ladies.
During our childhood days we used to come to the temple by around 7.30 p.m. and play around in the white sand around the temple.
When we were adolescents, we will have small groups and slots and with eager eyes waiting for smiling beauties. We used to feel that they smile because they liked us, which may not be true. For some it may grow to love and troubles and for a very few, it ends up in marriage. But it was very interesting to watch these beautiful Brahmin girls. It makes us imagine to be handsomes.
And now, the same people come with their children and taking care of these naughty children is interesting. These children will be ready to go for the festival because this is one outing we do not object.
Then we really pray when we are above 40. But we will not appreciate the very same things we did and also that the structural developments , other changes inside the temples do not make us feel happy. We would like things to be the very same as it was in our early ages.