: The 80-day season of Vallasadya, a unique ritualistic feast offered to the Palliyodam (snakeboat) crew, at the Sree Parthasarathy Temple situated on the banks of the Pampa at Aranmula came to a close on Sunday.
Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president Prayar Gopalakrishnan formally inaugurated the feast by lighting a ceremonial lamp at the Aanakkottil in front of the holy temple mast immediately after the Utchapooja at Parthasarathy Temple.
Hundreds of devotees turned up to partake of the sumptuous feast held on the temple premises.
According to PSS sources, a total of 487 Vallasadya were offered at the Sree Parthasarathy Temple during the past 80 days, this year.
The TDB chief distributed trophies to the winners in the Vanchippattu contest organised by the PSS and the TDB on the temple premises in the forenoon.
Madhathil Reghu, Non-Resident Indian entrepreneur, sponsored the golden trophy (51 sovereigns) for the team that won the first prize. The TDB chief presented the trophy and a purse worth Rs.25,000 to the Edayaranmula East team that has bagged the first prize.
The Mundankavu and Nelickal teams bagged the second and third prizes winning trophies and a cash prize of Rs 15,000 and Rs. 10,000 respectively.
