Thiruvananthapuram, August 21, 2013: The Brahmin community observed the annual Avani Avittam ritual at various temples across the district on Tuesday. The Avani Avittam ritual, primarily involving the changing of the sacred thread (poonool), is celebrated on the full moon day of the Tamil month of Avani, was held with accompanying ceremonies through the day at temples and residences. The changing of the sacred thread symbolises a new beginning and renewal of the Brahmins’ pledge to maintain their Vedic duties.

Rituals were observed in temples, including the Sreekanteswaram and Sreevaraham temples. There were a few sounds of discord, however, at the Sreevaraham temple, where devotees complained that they were not allowed to use the temple pond for the rituals that they had been following without fail for several decades. According to them, the temple authorities said that the pond was not being used for such rituals after it was cleaned and renovated recently.

Travancore Devaswom Board Commissioner P. Venugopal said there was no official ban on the use of the pond for such rituals. “I do not see any need for such prohibitions. I have not received any information on the same so far,” he told The Hindu .

The temple authorities said alternative arrangements had been made and that the rituals had been observed without any hiccups.

Source: The Hindu, August 21, 2013