Aarattu

Pallivetta (Royal Hunt) and Arattu (Holy Bath) are part of the rituals of the festivals of some of the major temples of Kerala. The speciality of the Arattu at the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram is that the head of the royal family of erstwhile Travancore still provides escort to the procession of idols while it is taken out for a bath. The idols are taken to the Shankumugham Beach and then given the purifying bath in the sea. The two annual ten-day festivals of the temple fall in October- November and March- April.

The Aarattu Festival is also celebrated at the Sree Krishnaswamy Temple at Ambalapuzha with much brilliance even though it does not match the celebrations at the Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram. Here the festival begins with a flag hoisting ceremony. Apart from the traditional holy bath of the idol, an important feature of the festival as celebrated in this temple is that Ambalapuzha Palpayasam, a sweet dish is always offered to the lord.

The Aarattu Festival is more of a ritual than a festival that is connected to the temple festivals in Kerala. The custom has been traditionally observed ever since the festivals were celebrated. However at the Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, this religious rite is observed with so much of ceremonial elegance and splendor that it is synonymous with celebrating a festival. The Aarattu Festival in Kerala therefore gains greater magnitude at Thiruvananthapuram.