The 29th Akhila Bharatha Srimad Bhagavatha Maha Sathram, regarded as the largest annual Vaishnavite spiritual retreat in South India, will be held at the ancient Thuravur Mahakshetram Temple at Thuravur from April 2 to 14, said Mr P.V. Nalinakshan Nair, steering committee chairman of the Maha Sathra Nirvahana Samiti, here on Sunday.
Mr Nair said the Hindu religious text, Srimad Bhagavathom, to be recited at the 12-day retreat would be brought from Ahobilom in Andhra Pradesh where the mythical incarnation of Maha Vishnu as Narasimha is believed to have been taken place. The rath yatra carrying the Srimad Bhagavathom set off from Ahobilom on Sunday forenoon, he said. The rath yatra will reach Thuravur on April 2.
The idol for installation at the Sathram venue will be brought from the Sreekrishna Temple at Guruvayur.
ADVERTISEMENT
Mr Nair said two other proclamation processions (rath yatra) from Sabarimala and Sri Padmanabhaswami Temple in Thiruvnanathapuram too will reach the Sathram venue on April 2.
The rath yatra from Sabarimala will be launched by the West Bengal Governor, M.K. Narayanan on March 27.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Sathra Nirvahana Samiti has made elaborate arrangements for the smooth conduct of the mega spiritual event which would be attended by tens of thousands of people from different parts of the country and abroad, Mr Nair said.
According to Mr Nair, a ceremonial procession carrying the Sree Krishna idol, ceremonial flag, and the Srimad Bhagavathom texts, would reach the Sathram venue on April 2 afternoon. The Sathram will begin immediately after the hoisting of the ceremonial flag at the temple premises followed by installation of the Sree Krishna idol at the specially prepared sanctum sanctorum at the venue.
The renowned Bhagavathom exponent, Prof Prema Pandurang, will deliver the keynote discourse on ‘Bhagavatha Mahatmyam’, at the inaugural session.
Mr Nair said as many as 108 religious scholars would deliver spiritual discourses at the 12-day retreat.
Acharya Krishnapriya, Palancherry Naveen Sankar, C.K. Chandrashekharan Nair, Kadampuzha Appu Warrier, Kalvaur Venkittaraman, Kandamangalam Narayanan Namboodiri, K.R. Nambiyar, P.V. Viswanathan Namboodiri, Acharya C.P. Nair, C. Kunhirama Warrier, Kulathoor Jayakrishnan Master, Swami Asheshananda, Venmony Krishnan Namboodiri, Pullayil Unnikrishnan Namboodiri, Venmony Radha Antharjanam, T.R. Ramanathan, Lakshmi Sankar, Jagadsakshi, Swami Sivatheerthan, K. Kesavan Namboodiri, Guruvayur Kesavan Namboodiri, Peratupuram Krishnan Namboodiri, Parthasarathipuram Viswanatha Pillai, Elankunnappuzha Damodara Sarma, Swami Udit Chaitanya, Guruvayur Maniswami, Seeravally N. Kesavan Namboodiri, Swami Atmaswaroopananda, L.Gireeshkumar,N.Gopalakrishnan, Radha Prasad Mumbai, Kamaladevi Kunjamma, K.K. Ilayathu, Thamarasserry Sankaran Bhattathiri, Swami Swaroopananda Saraswati, Narayanji Mumbai, Mannadi Hari, Poojappura Krishnan Nair and Thrikkakkara Vijayalakshmi are among the religious scholars to address the retreat.
The Sathram will come to a close with the concluding discourse by Venmony Krishnan Namboodiri on April 14.
Union and State Ministers, Sankaracharya of Sringeri Math and prominent religious-cultural leaders are expected to attend the 12-day event, says Mr Nair.
He said the Sathra Nirvahana Samiti would provide free food to all those who turn up to attend the retreat and accommodation to the needy.