The district panchayat has decided to give grant worth Rs.5,000 each to all the 39 Palliyodams (snakeboats) in the district this year, according to Saji Chacko, panchayat president.
A statement issued by the Palliyoda Seva Sanghom (PSS) here on Tuesday said that the district panchayat and the Sanghom would organise a Vanchippattu workshop from September 11 to 15.
Vallasadya crew of eight Palliyodams took part in the ritualistic feast, Vallasadya, held at the Parthasarathy temple on Tuesday, according to P. Mohanachandran, PSS convener.
Former Health Minister M.A. Kuttappan was among those who attended the ritualistic feast on Tuesday.
Mr. Mohanachandran said crew of 18 snakeboats would be taking part in the Vallasadya to be held at the temple on Thursday.
PSS secretary Ratheesh R.Mohan said the annual mega feast, Ashtami-Rohini Vallasadya, would be held at the Aranmula temple on August 28. Swami Sandeepananda Giri, Bhagavad Gita exponent, would inaugurate the mega feast by lighting a ceremonial lamp after the Utchapuja.
Mr. Mohan said as many as 1.5 lakh people from different parts of the country were expected to attend the mega feast to be served at the sprawling temple premises.
He said 5000 kg rice would be cooked for the feast and the entire rice had been offered by a devotee, Umasankar of Valanchuzhy, near Pathanamthitta, as his offering to the presiding deity.
Mr. Mohan said that a supervising committee comprising officials of the TDB, PSS authorities and representatives of devotees would oversee the conduct of the Vallasadya, this year.
Captain Raveendran Nair of Thottathumannil, Brigadier N.P.R. Pillai of Alakkottu house, and P. Parameswarn Pillai, former Inspector General of Police, would be the devotees’ representatives, Mr. Mohan said.
