Kerala: The historic Ananthapadmanabha Swamy Temple in Kerala, which remained closed for 270 years, was officially reopened following extensive restoration. The grand Mahakumbhabhishekam ceremony held today drew hundreds of devotees to the temple premises.
The temple’s restoration included the installation of three kalashams atop the sanctum sanctorum’s shikhara. Additionally, the 300-year-old statue of Vishvaksena was reinstalled using the traditional Katu Sarkara Yoga method, a significant ritual in temple ceremonies.
Kerala | Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple holds 'Maha Kumbhabhishekam' after 270 years. The ceremony will include the dedication of the domes in front of the main shrine, the re-installation of the Vishwaksena idol, and the ‘Ashtabandhakalasam’ ritual at the Thiruvambady Sree… pic.twitter.com/LGxzcUQu7c
— ANI (@ANI) June 8, 2025
At the adjacent Thiruvambadi Sri Krishna Temple, an Ashtabandha Kalasha was also consecrated. The Travancore royal family, custodians of the temple, performed special rituals as part of the celebrations.
Members of the Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma family conducted dedicated poojas prior to the event. Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan attended the ceremony, lending his support.
The Supreme Court had constituted a committee in 2017 to supervise the temple’s restoration. While initial renovation efforts were delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the work resumed in phases and has now been completed successfully.
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