Cherukolpuzha, a hamlet nestling in the Pampa river basin in the upstream reaches of Kozhencherry, is all spruced up for the week-long annual Hindu religious meet that begins on Sunday.
The Ayroor-Cherukolpuzha Hindumatha Maha Mandalam (HMM) that organises the meet has made elaborate arrangements for the smooth conduct of the annual religious event to be held on the sand bed of river Pampa at Cherukolpuzha from February 7 to 14.
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The ceremonial procession carrying Vidyadiraja-jyoti in a decorated chariot, popularly known as `Vidyadhiraja-jyoti prayan’, set off to Cherukolpuzha from the Samadhi of Vidyadhiraja Chattampi Swami at Panmana, on Saturday.
The Vidyadhiraja Ashram chief, Pranavananda Theertha, handed over the ceremonial lamp (jyoti) to the HMM president at a solemn function held at the Ashram premises in the forenoon. The Jyoti was brought to Vijayananda Ashram at Kidangannur near Aranmula in the evening. The Jyoti will be brought to Cherukolpuzha in a ceremonial procession on Sunday morning for keeping it at the meeting venue through out the convention period.
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Swami Sivaratridesikendra, spiritual head of Veerasimhasana Madhom at Suthur in Mysore, will inaugurate the 98th Hindu religious meet at 3.30 pm on Sunday. Mr O.Rajagopal, former Union Minister, will preside over the inaugural meet.
L.Gireesh Kumar, head of Sripuram Tantric Research Centre, Irinjalakkuda, will deliver a religious discourse. Mr K.Sivadasan Nair, Mr K.C.Rajagopalan, MLAs, T.N.Upendranatha Kurup, HMM president who is also the former president of Travancore Devaswom Board, Prof Ramavarma of Alappuzha SD College will also address the inaugural function.
Annadanam
Mr Kurup told The Hindu that HMM has also made arrangements to serve food (Annadanam) to all those visit Cherukolpuzha to attend the religious meet.
District Superintendent of Police, K.Sanjaykumar, will inaugurate the Annadanam at 1 pm on Sunday, he said.
Religious speeches will be held at 10 am, 3 pm and 7 pm on all days from February 8 to 13.
Religious discourses
Mr T.R.Ramanathan from North Paravur, renowned Bhagavathom exponent, will deliver a discourse on Srimad Bhagavathom at 10 am and Mr. Cheruvally Narayanan Namboodiri, Vasthu expert, will give a talk on `Vasthusastra’ in the afternoon session on Monday. Swami Utid Chaitanya will deliver a lecture on Bhagavad Gita, later, at 7 pm.
A cultural meet will be held on Tuesday afternoon. Mr P.Parameswaran, Bharatiya Vichara Kendram director, will inaugurate the meet to be presided by Swami Abhayananda Theerthapada of Kadakkachira Vidyadhiraja Seva Ashram near Pala.
A talk on vegetarianism by Mr G.K.Nair, editorial consultant of The Hindu Businessline , will be held, later.
Mr P.Parameswaran will also release a book written by Mr. Nair on the vegetarian way of life on the occasion.
Dr G.S.Pradeep, television quiz master, will inaugurate the youth meet on February 10 afternoon.
Ayyappa devotees’ meet
Devaswom Minister Kadannappally Ramachandran will inaugurate the Ayyappa Bhakta Sammelan as part of the annual meet on February 11 afternoon. Mr R.Ramachandran Nair, former Chief Secretary, will preside over the function.
Kummanam Rajashekharan, Hindu Aikyavedi general secretary, Madurai N.Sreenivasan, Ayyappa Seva Sanghom general secretary, K.N.Reghunath, Kerala Chakkamar Maha Sabha general secretary and N.K.Krishnankutty, Akhila Kerala Hindu Sambava Maha Sabha general secretary, will also
address the meet.
Mr N.K.Premachandran, Water Resources Minister, will inaugurate the Vidyadhiraja Chattampi Swami commemoration meet on February 12 afternoon. Swami Ayyappa Das, Kshetra Vimochana Samara Samiti president, will preside over the meet.
Veteran journalist, Leela Menon, will inaugurate the women’s meet to be held on February 13 afternoon and Prof T.G.Purushothaman Nair, Kerala State Hindumatha Patasala Adhyapaka Parishad president, will inaugurate the Hindu religious teachers’ meet at 10 am on February 14.
Valedictory meet
Principal Secretary to Prime Minister, T.K.A.Nair, will inaugurate the valedictory meet at 3 pm. Swami Rithambarananda, Secretary of Sivagiri Madhom, will preside over the meet. Swami Sandeep Chaitanya, School of Bhagavad Gita director, will deliver the keynote address. Anto Antony, MP, will also address the valedictory meet.
The week-long religious meet will come to a close with the Maha Sarvaiswaryapuja led by Swami Poornamruthananda Puri of Mata Amritanandamayi Madhom, later, at 6 pm.