Green protocol would be observed during the three-day 85th Sivagiri pilgrimage celebrations beginning on December 30.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan would formally inaugurate the celebrations at a function to be attended by Union Minister of State for Home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir and Sri Lankan Parliament Speaker Karu Jayasuriya. Sree Narayana Dharma Sanghom’s former president Swami Prakasananda would light the lamp at the function to be chaired by Sanghom general secretary Swami Visuddhananda and addressed by Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala.
The following two days will see conferences on eight key subject areas flagged by Sree Narayana Guru through his teachings: education, sanitation, faith, organisation, agriculture, trade, handicrafts and science and technology.
Union Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar, Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Union Ayush Minister Shripad Yasso Naik, Maharasthra Chief Minister Devendra Phadnavis and former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, among others, would address the various conferences.
The observances forming part of the 85th Sivagiri pilgrimage festivities would begin on December 29 with the arrival of the flag to be hoisted at the venue of the festivities from Kottayam and the rope for tying the flag from Kalavamkodam in Alappuzha. A statue of the Guru, to be installed at the temple built at the Madhom, would reach from Shoranur and another statue to be installed at the venue of the celebrations would reach from Elavumthitta on the same day. Flags brought from overseas centres such as those in UAE, Bahrain and Kuwait would reach the Madhom on the same day.
A mega job fair, several cultural events and a national level exhibition are also being organised as part of the festivities, Sanghom general secretary Swami Sandrananda, pilgrimage celebrations committee secretary Swami Sivaswarupananda and other organisers told a news conference here on Friday.
Swati Ajith
