The Palliyoda Seva Sanghom (PSS) will be organising a ceremonial parade of the magestic snake boats (Palliyodam) in the river Pampa at Aranmula on the Uthirattathi day in the Malayalam month of Chingom on August 24, 2013.
In a statement issued here on Friday, P. Mohanachandran, PSS treasurer and publicity convener, said 20 snake boats would take part in the ceremonial pageantry in the race course of Pampa on August 24 forenoon.
Legend has it that Arjuna had installed the idol of Lord Krishna at the ancient Sree Parthasarathy Temple at Aranmula centuries ago and that his birth star was Uthirattathi in the Chingom month.
It has been the custom and tradition to celebrate the anniversary of idol installation with a colour pageantry of Palliyodams on this day, Mr. Mohanachandran said.
As per the legend, the Palliyodams were rebuilt for escorting the temple vessel, Thiruvonathoni, carrying provisions, rice, vegetables and other articles from Kattoor near Kozhencherry for the Onam feast ( Onasadya ) at the Sree Parthasarathy Temple on Thiruvonam day.
Mr. Mohanachandran said the annual snakeboat regatta used to be held on the Uthirattathi day after the Onam festival. This year, the post-Onam Uthirattathi day falls on September 20 in the Malayalam month of Kanni and the mega regatta will be celebrated that afternoon, he said.
Mega feast
Mr. Mohanachandran said, this year, the ritualistic mega feast, Ashtami-Rohini Vallasadya, on Janmashtami day will be celebrated at the Parthasarathy Temple premises on August 28.
As many as one lakh people are expected to part take of the feast this year, he said.
Swami Sandeepananda Giri of the School of Bhagavad Gita in Thiruvananthapuram will inaugurate the feast.
Mr. Mohanachandran said the crew of 18 snake boats took part in the Vallasadya held at the Aranmula temple on Thursday.
