The Hindu : Kerala News : Thousands partake of Aranmula `vallasadya'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Sep 07, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Thousands partake of Aranmula `vallasadya'

By Our Staff Reporter

The annual Ashtami Rohini `vallasadya', a ritualistic mass feast, held at the Sree Parthasarathy Temple, Aranmula, in Pathanamthitta district on Monday.

PATHANAMTHITTA, SEPT. 6. The annual ritualistic mass feast, Ashtami Rohini `vallasadya', was held with religious fervour at the Aranmula Sree Parthasarathy Temple on the banks of the Pampa today.

Thousands of devotees from different parts of the State partook of the feast, which they consider as the `prasadom' of the presiding deity.

The Palliyoda Seva Sanghom (PSS) has been organising the `vallasadya' on the temple premises on Sree Krishna Jayanti day for the past several years. Rice is served along with 32 side dishes on the day.

`Utcha pooja'

The `vallasadya' began immediately after the `utcha pooja' at the temple. The District Superintendent of Police, T. Chandran, inaugurated the feast at the Valiyanadappanthal in front of the holy temple mast.

The PSS president, K. Sivadasan Nair, the local MLA, Malethu Saraladevi, and the district panchayat member, Pandalam Sivankutty were also present.

Mr. Sivadasan Nair said that as many as 30 `palliyodams', representing 30 `karas', had turned up for the `vallasadya'. The sprawling temple premises were packed with devotees right from the morning. The PSS sources said that 3,250 kg of rice had been used and not less than 40,000 people had partaken of the feast.

The `palliyodams' carrying devotees from each `kara' in and around Aranmula reached the temple ghats in a procession by 11 a.m. They were given a rousing reception. They circumambulated the temple, chanting the `vanchippattu', verses in praise of Lord Krishna, before partaking of the `vallasadya'. Earlier, the `palliyodams' staged the Ashtami Rohini boat race on the Pampa.

Subhash Chand, a lawyer who has been directed by the Kerala High Court to supervise the `vallasadya', was also present on the temple premises today. Mr. Chand said that he would submit a report on the conduct of the event to the High Court soon.

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