The Hindu : Antony to review facilities at Pampa

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 31, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala

Antony to review facilities at Pampa

By Our Staff Reporter

PATHANAMTHITTA Dec. 30. The Chief Minister, A. K. Antony, will visit Pampa on Thursday to review the facilities for the pilgrims coming from different parts of the country at this main base camp on the foothills of Sabarimala.

Mr. Antony will stay at the Devaswom Guest House at Pampa on January 1. He will also convene a meeting of various departmental heads, Travancore Devaswom Board authorities and representatives of various non-Governmental organisations at the Devaswom Maramath Complex at Pampa at 8-30 a.m. on Friday to discuss the basic pilgrim facilities being made at Sabarimala.

Hundreds of Shiv Sainiks are also reaching Pampa on January 1 by two-wheelers, to register their protest against the 20 per cent special fare in the Sabarimala-bound Kerala State Road Transport Corporation buses. The Shiv Sainiks, who had launched a protest march to Pampa in bullock carts two weeks ago, were blocked by the police at Pathanamthitta.

The famous Petta Thullal at Erumeli will be held on January 11.

Temple opening

The Lord Ayyappa Temple at Sabarimala will be opened on Thursday afternoon for the Makaravilakku festival that begins on January 2. The Tantri, Kantaru Rajeevaru, told The Hindu that the Melsanthi, Gosala Vishnu Vasudevan, will open the sanctum sanctorum at 5 p.m. on Thursday. The daily poojas will begin only with the Ganapathi homam on Friday morning.

Thiruvabharanam

The annual procession carrying Thiruvabharanam, the golden attire of the presiding deity at the Ayyappa Temple, will set off to Sabarimala from the Pandalam Valiyakoickal Temple on January 12 afternoon. Rajaraja Varma of the Pandalam Kochukottaram will escort the customary annual procession as the royal representative to Sabarimala this year. The customary Pampa Sadya and Pampa Vilakku will be held at Pampa Manalpuram on January 13. The Makaravilakku Day falls on January 14. The Thiruvabharanam procession will reach Pampa on January 14 afternoon. The procession carrying the sacred golden attire will reach Sannidhanam by 6 p.m.

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