This blogger has been watching the events at Sreepadmanabhaswamishetram in Thiruvanthapuram with much amusement. Unlike what some in the media want us to believe it is not really a “treasure” it is a nercha by the royal family over centuries. Apparently the royal family was aware of these valuables. This blogger doesn’t give any damn about royal families and other hereditary claims but when it comes to the Travancore royalty I am in reverence and hold them in highest regard. Their egalitarian worldview and concern for common people is one main reason for high level of social indices in particular literacy in south part of a small state called Kerala. Indeed south Kerala’s art and culture owe much to the royalty. Even the present royal family consist of sophisticated people concerned about the issues related to common people, eschewing ostentation or mistaking any grand bearing about oneself unlike most royalties across the world. They are the most humane set people worth emulating.
I recall when I was in my first year of college and visited the temple during araatu festival, venerable Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma Maharaja was carrying the sword in a procession as
part of custom, I happen to be inside the temple, when maharaja passed by everybody bowed except of course yours truly. The frail maharaja (who expired an year later) gave me such a stare that I still recall with much trepidation. Later an elder explained to me about greatness of the king and so on. I also recall taking my friends (mostly Christians) to the temple on my 19th birthday, I really wanted to do something different.Padmanabhaswamy shetram is probably one temple that I have visited the most apart from of course Guruvayur. When we were kids there was hype about the clock tower at the temple that had goats that would strike its forehead onto each other with the clock ringing the hour. The way it was told to us gave glimpse of running goats and so on. So with high expectation we were at the temple, and when the goats did a minor oscillation instead of fiercely attacking each other at the strike of the hour, boy wasn’t I disappointed?!!
Many outsiders may not know this but even the name of the capital city –Thiruvanathapuram- comes from the lord Padmanabha, he is in ananthashayanam the name traces from this. Whenever I go to Thiruvanathapuram I make it a point to have tea at a shop opposite to the temple that gives a marvelous view of the temple (similar to the one in the picture above), it is a sight I cherish.
