painkuni ulsavam-&war dance

[padmanabha]

Painkuni ulsavam at the Sree Padmanabha Swami Temples begins on Monday. Cheerful devotees throng the temple premises in the evenings to witness the solemn, imposing and spectacular ceremony that is the circumambulations of the deities, along the magnificent corridor.

The ulsavam which lasts for ten days begins with the kodiyettu-the hoisting of the God’s Flag and concludes with Aarat procession. During these days the Gods are escorted by His Highness Uthradom Tirunal Marthanda Varma with the entire paraphernalia of the temple and the State.

The ulsava vigrahams of Sree Padmanabha, Sree Krishna, and Sree Narasimha are elaborately decorated and seated in vahanams made of gold and silver. Their marvelous intricacy and design are an eloquent testimony to the art and craftsmanship, of an ancient era. The idols are lavishly decorated with colorful silk fresh flowers.


The procession is lead by an elegantly caparisoned elephant, followed by men carrying the God’s flags, umbrellas, and other emblems of divinity. Clad in traditional temple costume His Highness with drawn sword comes next followed by the heir apparent and other male members of the family. The idols are carried by the temple in the rear. Immediately ahead of the idols walk the temple musicians playing melodiously on the thimiri nagaswaram. A group of vocalist accompanied by violin and mridangam rendering ulsava prabandam follow the vahanams.

Another attraction is the installation of the effigies of the Panchapandavas near Padmatheertham. The effigies are carved in wood and have finely decorated faces with bulging eyes, and colorful head gear. Their long red robes are decked with chains of beads. They all have long tresses and nails. Yudhishtira alone is installed in the sitting posture with his right leg on his left thigh. The giant Bhima holds an ornamental mace and the others with a medium sized clubs.

In front these, the unique war dance of Kerala –velakali was performed twice daily after the seeveli. More than a hundred men symbolically enact the battle of kurushetra, and accept defeat and fly in disorder. Their colorful make up is akin to the battle uniform of ancient Kerala. They wear a loin up to the ankles which is held in position by a strip of white cloth. Their bare chest is adorned with colorful beads and shells and the performer cover their heads with laced red turbans with a protruding knot at the left. They hold a shield and a stick.

They march along with rhythmic movements. A band of drums and bugles lead the battalion. Spectators gather at the flight of steps at the eastern entrance of the temple, and watch the Kaurava pada attacking their enemies.


Though the ten days long impressive temple festival and the installation of the effigies of the Pandavas continue Velakali remains as a colorful memory in the minds of the old timers