Pathanamithitta, July 31, 2013: The Palliyoda Seva Sanghom (PSS) and the Travancore Devaswom Board have made elaborate arrangements for the smooth conduct of the annual season of Vallasadya offering (vazhipadu) at the Sree Parthasarathy temple at Aranmula that begins on Wednesday.

Preparation of various dishes for the ritualistic feast (Vallasadya) has begun with the ceremonial lighting of the hearth at the temple Oottupura on Tuesday morning.

Head priest (Melsanthi) Aravind Bhattathiri transferred the sacred fire from the Kedaavilakku (undying fire) kept inside the sanctum sanctorum to a lamp for transferring it to the hearth at the Oottupura.

K. Sivadasan Nair, MLA, lit the hearth. K.V. Sambadevan, president, Ratheesh R. Mohan, secretary, N.P. Sankaranarayana Pillai, treasurer, and P. Mohanachandran, convener, PSS; Ramavarma, TDB Administrative Officer; and B. Vinodkumar, Sub-Inspector of Police, attended the function.

The PSS secretary told The Hindu the rush for Vallasadya offering was on the rise this year and booking has crossed 442 as on Tuesday morning.

Mr. Mohan said the total number of Vallasadya vazhipadu offered to the presiding deity in the previous year was 438.

Mr. Mohan said the maximum number of Vallasadya offering that could be made a day had been fixed at 15.

Crew of 15 snakeboats belonging to Cherukol, Punnanhottom, Edasserimala-East, Koipram, Poovathoor-West, Venpala, Umayattukara, Varayannoor, Thottappuzhassery, Maramon, Thekkemuri, Thekkemuri- East, Thaimaravumkara, and Laka-Edayaranmula will take part in the Vallasadya on Wednesday.

Travancore Devaswom Board president M.P. Govindan Nair will inaugurate the annual event by lighting a ceremonial lamp before the temple mast immediately after the Utchapuja on Wednesday.

Source: The Hindu, July 31, 2013