Adding to June_Anne_Mary's post-
The Navaratri celebrations at the AnanthaPadmanabhaswamy temple in Tirvandrum are something special.
Long long ago, Sage Kambar (author of the Kamba Ramayanam) had an idol of the Devi- which he worshiped as Mother Saraswati. One day, when he was travelling through the Parashurama Kshetra (Modern Kerala) he came to know intutively that his end was near. His first concern was for the Devi idol that he was carrying with him.
Coincidently the ruler of that kingdom, asked Kambar whether he could have the idol. Kambar gifted the idol to the king after making him promise that there would be no lapse in the worship of the idol. That promise is being honored till this day by the present royal family.
During the nine days of Navaratri, the Goddess is brought out in a ceremonial palaquin from the temple to a mandapam outside. SHe is worshipped as Saraswati on the first three days, Lakshmi on the next three days and as DUrga on the last three days.
No electrical lighting is allowed inside the mandapam. Illumination is provided by hundreds of oil lamps and the air is heady with the fragrance of jasmine, sandalwood and incense.
Edited by varaali - 11 years ago
comment:
p_commentcount