Festivals celebrated with fervour at Mannarasala temple

'Mannarasala Amma', the chief priestess of the Mannarasala temple inAlappuzha carrying the golden deity to the Mannarasala Illam as partof the temple festival. Photo: Special Arrangement.

The ‘Pooyam’ and ‘Aayilyam’ festivals at the historic Mannarasala Nagaraja temple, near Haripad here, were celebrated with much religious fervour on Sunday and Monday.

The ‘Pooyam’ festival, which marked the conclusion of the 12-day puja at the temple conducted by the head priestess, ‘Mannarasala Amma’, was followed by a mass feast at the temple on Sunday.

On Monday, the Aayilyam festival drew thousands of devotees from different parts of the State. The various rituals on the day, which began with the ‘Nirmalyadarshanam’ also included drawing of the ‘Nagakkalam’ for the Aayilyam pooja and a procession from the temple to the Mannarasala Illam carrying idols of ‘Nagaraja’ and other gods.