Aranmula Uthrittathi water fest tomorrow

PATHANAMTHITTA: Arrangements have been completed for the smooth conduct of the annual Aranmula Uthrittathi Water Festival, marking the idol installation anniversary of Aranmula Lord Parthasarathi temple, to be held in the Pampa river at Aranmula Sathram Kadavu on Wednesday. A record number of 46 ‘palliyodams’ (snake-boats) will participate in the unique and traditional water regatta, which attracts thousands of people from across the country and abroad, president of the Palliyoda Seva Sangham, the organisers of the water festival, K V Sambadevan said on Monday. The Sangham president said that strict action against ‘palliyodams’, which deviate from the traditional style of rowing, would be taken. The water festival would begin with the colourful procession of ‘palliyodams,’ followed by race, Sambadevan said. Union Minister for Tourism Subhod Kant Sahay would inaugurate the function in connection with the water festival at 1.30 p.m.Chief Minister Oommen Chandy would inaugurate the water festival. Tourism Minister A P Anilkumar would preside over the function.Water Resources Minister P J Joseph would inaugurate the water race.Union Minister of State for Energy K C Venugopal would release the souvenir. Travancore Devaswom Board president M Rajagopalan Nair would hand over the trophies sponsored by the Devaswom Board on the occasion. Devaswom Minister V S Sivakumar would distribute the trophies to the winners. Former Minister N K Premachandran, Valiya Metropolitan of Mar Thoma Church Philipose Mar Chrysostum, RSS prantha sanghachalak P E B Menon, MPs P J Kurian, Anto Antony and Kodikunnil Suresh, MLAs K Sivadasan Nair, Raju Abraham, P C Vishnunath, Chittayam Gopakumar, Mathew T Thomas and R Rajesh, Fokano president G K Pillai, District Panchayat president Babu George, sangham president K V Sambadevan and secretary Ratheesh R Mohan would speak.