Marking the culmination of Onam festivities at the Aranmula Sree Parthasarathy Temple this year, the ritualistic feast of Vallasadya will be held here on Thursday.
The feast will begin at the Panjajanyam Hall of the Palliyoda Seva Sanghom (PSS) soon after the ‘Samarppanam’ ritual to be held at the Gajamandapa of the temple by 11.30 a.m.
As against the previous years, only 32 persons including 24 oarsmen on board the Llka-Idayaranmula Palliyodam (snakeboat) have been permitted to attend the feast this year.
The oarsmen, representing various Palliyoda committees, will reach the temple ghats in the Pampa on board the snakeboat and will be accorded a customary reception.
Keeping with the tradition, a team of devotees from the Chenappadi village in Kottayam on Wednesday visited the temple and supplied the specially prepared curd for the feast.
Vallasadya, an important ritualistic offering by the devotees to the presiding deity at the Aranmula temple had been witnessing huge public participation over the years. As per estimates, close to one lakh people attended the event in the previous year.
Meanwhile, a team of officials from the Health Department and the police will be present to ensure strict implementation of the social distancing norms during the Vallasadya on Thursday. Prior to preparing the feast, the chief chef and his assistants were subjected to serum test to confirm them negative for SARS-CoV-2.
The move, according to the authorities, was in line with a decision by the authorities to organise the Vallasadya this year in accordance with the COVID-19 protocol.
