Is there any airport in the world which closes its runway and reschedules flight operations for a centuries-old temple procession to pass?
The international airport in Kerala’s capital may be the only one of its kind which has been stopping flight operations and rearranging flight schedules twice every year for several decades as part of the annual festivals of the famed Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple here.
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The flight operations to and from the airport here would come to a halt for five hours when “Aarattu,” the ritual bath procession of temple idols, passes through its runway on the final day of the 10-day ‘Painkuni’ and ‘Alpassi” festivals (celebrated during the Tamil months of Painkuni and Alpassi months respectively) of the shrine.
The airport issues a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen), a notice containing information concerning the establishment, condition or change in any facility, service or procedure, among others, in airspace management, in this regard a week ahead of the procession, airport sources here said.
Armed CISF personnel stand guard on both sides of the runway when the idols pass to take a ritualistic bath in the nearby Shangumugham beach crossing the airport premises.
After the ‘holy bath’, the procession goes back to the temple through the same route in the night with an escort of people carrying burning ‘theevettis’ (traditional fire lamps).
As this year’s ‘Aarattu’ procession, marking the culmination of the ongoing ‘Alpassi’ festival at the Lord Padmanabha Temple, would be held Saturday evening, flight operations at the airport were scheduled to be canceled between 4 and 9pm, airport authorities said.
According to the temple management, the procession moves through the airport runway as the area is part of the traditional ‘aarattu route’ through which it has been passing for several centuries to reach the beach.
The procession used to pass through the same route even before the airport was established in the year 1932, they said.
The temple issues special passes to participants in the ‘aarattu’ as it passes through the high security airport area, they added.
Thiruvananthapuram airport director George G Tharakan said NOTAM is usually issued a week before the procession date, so that flight operators worldwide are aware of the need to change the schedule.
“I do not think, such a practise is followed anywhere in the world…The runway will be closed completely and all flight operations, both domestic and international, will be halted for five hours. It is time when modernity meets tradition,” he told PTI.
Detailing the security arrangements, the director said, people are allowed inside during the procession based on the special passes issued by the temple management.
“They give us a list of participants, to whom they issue passes. Only such persons are permitted inside airport premises. Strict security checks, both by CISF and Kerala police personnel will be carried out at the entrance. CISF personnel guard the runway when the procession passes,” he said.
Temple authorities would be requested to clear the airport premises completely by 8.45pm after the procession returns and the NOTAM would be withdrawn and flight operations would resume by 9pm, Tharakan added.
The procession carrying temple idols on decorated vehicles escorted by priests, members of the erstwhile Travancore Royal family, caparisoned elephants, police band and armed and mounted police personnel besides large number of devotees, is a grand spectacle for onlookers.
The present head of Travancore Royal family, Moolam Tirunal Rama Varma would lead the procession carrying the ceremonial sword and wearing the traditional green cap, the royal symbols.
Source: manoramaonline.com
Excellent series. Congratulations. A most valuable educational and informative service. Subjects are suitably varied and soundly researched. Esoevially for Indian persons in yhe diadpora, this setbice has great dignificance.
My petsonal thsnks to the authorities.
In today’s world of Hindu bashing I think you should choose the title more appropriately. It sounds as if it is causing great inconvenience to some one or it is sheer stupidity. But, in reality the article is informative.
Please note there are people who will use this to degrade our customs, our values and our faith. thanks.
It is time for Governments to plan construction of Airports, Train stations, Bus stations etc. without causing the inconvenience to the public. The Airport authorities may be obliging Temple’s instructions today, but we cannot expect this from every type of government (especially with pSecular Governments).
I live not too far away from the sea where the idol is immersed. I am the third generation living in this house built by my grandfather (who built it in the 1930s for some peace and quiet away from the town) and it was possible to see the whole procession from the window of the second floor of my house but now trees block the view. The airport was originally built by the Maharaja for his own use and had only one or two flights a month – and I used to rush out of my house to watch – of small planes. There was no boundary wall around the single runway which was just a few hundred metres long and anybody could walk across it. Of course everything has changed a great deal over the years.
Shanghumughom Beach too was a very quiet and wonderful beach with hardly any visitors. It was also about four or five times bigger than it is now and it was quite a long walk to reach the sea which has come in considerably over the years, almost swallowing up the entire beach. The beach was a very quiet place and one could hear the sound of the waves, especially during the monsoons for quite a distance. Now the beach has shrunk and has become dirty and full of rubbish and if you come in the morning you can smell the stink of burning rubbish. It has also become extremely noisy right from 5 am when The Shanghumughom Devi temple begins blasting through loudspeakers shattering the divine early morning peace and tranquillity. Similarly the quiet of dusk is also shattered. Of course the mosques and churches also make merry with their own brands of ear-splitting celebrations!
The “aaraattu” festival used to be the main event in the city and thousands of people used to line the street leading to the beach and there was a really festive atmosphere with lots of vendors selling all kinds of stuff. At the tail end of the procession were the “aaraattu mundans” or dwarves dressed as clowns making everyone laugh with their antics. I suppose it is not a politically correct thing to do now. But what I really miss is the peace and quiet and the cleanliness that prevailed in the Shanghumughom Beach area.
It is gratifying to read this upholding of age old tradition in the thickest of modernity- yes Hindu India alone can claim this unique of the eternal and the ephemeralcoexistence of
That is what makes India especially blessed!
That is why Kerala is called “God’s own country”. A unique place made by God- beautiful, clean, traditional and above all spiritual.
heavens will not fall down if the flight operations are stopped for some 5 hours on a prearrangement to uphold tradition.
Comments and information given by the above persons good and useful to anybody.
central and state governments may look after the necessacities of the public.
Aaratuu procession in Kerala refers: Build an under-runway by-pass of adequate size after consultations with all the stake holders.
There is an amicable solution to age old tradition. Good luck.
Good to see age old traditions still being kept up in spite of negative criticisms.
NISE WORSHIP GODDESS LIKE KER LA CITY, I LIKE IT
And this is communists ruled states.
More pikas in this state like W Bengal but communists dominated ones
Actions are different when God comes into picture More Muslims more Christians and dominant Hondu festivald