Kerala - Kannur   

`Yagam' for world peace

Staff Reporter

KANNUR: A 15-day-long `yagam' for world peace will be conducted on the Chirakkal Raja's High School premises from April 17 under the auspices of the Siddhi Vinayaka Maha Yagam Trust.

Organising committee general secretary C. Padmanabhan said at a press conference here on Wednesday that Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy would be among the devotees attending the ritual. He claimed that a similar `yaga' was last performed 1,136 years ago in Varanasi. That region had begun to flourish after the yaga, he said.

Mr. Padmanabhan said that Vinayaka Chandra Deekshithar of the Siddha Linkeswara Kovil in Coimbatore would be the leader of the yaga. He would be assisted by 25 Vedic scholars and 150 helpers of the Kumbhakonam Veda Patashala. He said that over 20,000 people were expected to take part in the ceremonies every day. Arrangements were under way for providing meals to 25,000 devotees every day.

The organisers said the total expense for the yagam was estimated at Rs.2 crore. The amount would be collected through donation.

Yagam flayed

Meanwhile, the Purogamana Kala Sahithya Sanghom (Pukasa) district committee, in a statement here, said the yagam was part of a scheme to revert the State to superstitions and rituals of the past.

Holding of such rites exposed the revivalist culture trying to influence the Kerala society with the backing of new capitalist interests. The statement said that the yagam was intended for eliminating progressive political and social activities and rational thinking. It urged all progressive and rational sections of society to organise protests against retrograde rituals.

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