For a few hours every year, aircraft on taxiways, buses near the tarmac, passengers and airline staff make way for elephants, music and prayers at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport. Flight operations hit the pause button as the centuries-old Arattu procession makes its way to the sea and back.

Each year during Mar-Apr and again in Oct-Nov, the Arattu procession of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple passes through the airport grounds. The ritual marks the culmination of the 10-day festival and this year, the procession took place on 2 Apr 2026.

Over the course of the 10-day festival, the temple hosts ceremonial processions, special rituals and offerings, with each day carrying its own spiritual significance. Devotees from across Kerala and beyond converge at the temple to be part of the celebrations. The rituals are deeply intertwined with the legacy of the Travancore royal family, whose members have been associated with the temple for generations.

“Arattu” refers to the ritual of sea bath that symbolises purification. The idols of Lord Padmanabhaswamy, Narasimha Moorthy and Krishna Swamy are taken out of the temple’s sanctum in a grand procession to Shanghumugham Beach, about 6kms away.

On the final day, the festival reaches its most evocative moment when elephants adorned in traditional attire, musicians, priests and thousands of devotees join the procession. Members of the Travancore royal family accompany the deities.

What makes this journey unique is its route. The procession passes directly across the runway of Thiruvananthapuram International Airport.

Built in 1932 under the patronage of the Travancore royal family, the airport’s runway was planned in a way that it preserves the temple’s traditional ceremonial path to the sea. Since 2021, the airport has been operated by Adani Airport Holdings (AAHL), which continues to uphold this tradition.

Twice a year, the airport issues a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) ahead of the processions, closing the runway for a few hours. The tarmac is cleared and aircraft movements are halted. Security teams, temple authorities, local administration and airport staff work in close coordination to facilitate the ritual.

Flight operations resume only after the procession leaves the airport boundaries and the runway gets the necessary clearance.