The ropes used on the traditional Kodimaram (flagstaff) for the Painkuni festival of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, commencing on March 28, arrived at the temple from the Central Prison, Poojappura.
Jail Superintendent B. Pradeep handed over the finished ropes to the temple authorities at a function on the prison premises.
Around eight men, who religiously stick to a ‘vratha' (abstinence from eating meat), were involved in the making of the ropes.
Four different set of ropes are used during the festival. The main 175-foot rope is for the main flagstaff of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple and the 110-foot rope for the flagpole of Thiruvambadi Sri Krishna Temple. The third is the red rope used to fix the wooden support for the flag, according to Anil Kumar, a temple functionary.
The ropes are used only once and each year the prison receives production orders. Inmates are trained in making the ropes, says Chrysostom Benedict, weaving instructor at the prison since 1991.
