പൂജപ്പുര ശ്രീസരസ്വതി ദേവീക്ഷേത്രം 2025 | Sree Saraswathi Temple Poojapura Navaratri Festival
Navaratri 2025 Upcoming Dates:
Navaratri Begins: Monday, September 22, 2025
Vijayadashami (Vidyarambham Day): Thursday, October 2, 2025
Navaratri Festival | Sree Saraswathi Temple Poojapura
Historian M.G. Sashibhooshan traces the place’s significance to the time of Dharma Raja Karthika Thirunal Rama Varma, who shifted the capital from Padmanabhapuram to Thiruvananthapuram in the late 18th century amid rising military threats. Swathi Thirunal, with his deep cultural leanings, later built the Kunnu Bungalow in Poojappura and began structured Navaratri rituals here, blending devotion with regal grandeur.
During Navaratri, the temple complex hosts rituals like Ayudha Pooja, where books and weapons are venerated, and Vidyarambham on Vijayadashami, where children are initiated into learning. The idol of Subrahmanya from Aryashala is ceremonially placed near the Saraswathi Mandapam on the tenth day a tradition known as Nalliruppu. On Vijayadashami morning, the king once offered a ceremonial bow to the deity, a gesture now emulated by devotees.
One of the most distinct traditions is the arrival of the silver horse and Murukanta deities from the Kumara Temple in Thuckalay, Kanyakumari district. These are brought to the Saraswathi Mandapam in a grand procession, kept for darshan and rituals, then taken to the Padmanabhaswamy Temple before returning to Thuckalay. In royal times, offerings were made by the king on the seventh day now a continuing tradition upheld by devotees.
Another key highlight is the Kanakasabha Darshanam, held daily at 8:30 p.m. during Navaratri. The original idol (moola vigraham) of Saraswathi Devi is brought from the sanctum to the Mandapam for special worship before being returned. This divine glimpse draws large crowds, reaffirming the temple's spiritual aura.
The Saraswathi Mandapam, constructed with 28 intricately carved stone pillars during the reign of Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma, is also the stage for the Navaratri music festival an event cherished by classical music lovers across Kerala. Devotional recitals like Harinamakeerthanam, Lalitha Sahasranamam, Devi Bhagavatham, and Narayaneeyam form a daily spiritual rhythm during the festival.
