Sree Padmanabhaswamy Alpashi Utsavam; Thiruvananthapuram airport to remain shut for five hours today

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Thiruvananthapuram International Airport will shut down operations for five hours on Saturday in connection with the Alpashi Utsavam and the Aarattu ceremony associated with Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple.

The Aarattu ceremony will go through West Fort to Thiruvananthapuram Airport via Vallakadavu. It is customary for the airport to be closed down for two days every year in connection with the temple festival. Today, the airport will be closed from 4 pm to 9 pm. Meanwhile, the airport runway will be opened to devotees of Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple during the Aarattu ceremony. The entourage from the temple is expected to reach Shangumugham beach by sunset.

Thiruvananthapuram Airport was established in 1932 under the leadership of Sree Chithira Thirunal, the then King of Travancore. Even before the airport, the Aarattu ceremony for centuries, used to pass through this route. Despite the changes over the years, the itinerary of the ceremony still remains unhindered. The king was adamant not to change the route and an agreement was made with the then central government in this regard.