Vamanamoorthy Temple annual festival begins

KOCHI: The annual festival at Vamanamoorthy Temple in Thrikkakara will begin on Atham day on Wednesday signaling the beginning of the 10-day Onam celebrations in the state.The festival will begin with the hoisting of the flag  by temple tantri Puliyanoor Vasudeva Namboodiri at 8 pm.The temple management committee has made elaborate arrangements for celebrating the festival without any hassles.The temple dedicated to Lord Vamana was not in the limelight for long. It started drawing the attention of people after reports on its poor condition and lack of financial support came out. The temple under the control of Travancore Dewaswom Board is still crying for more attention, sources said.The 10-day festival would come to an end on the Thiruvonam day. A mega Onam feast would be organised at the Tiruvonam Hall for 15,000 people on the Onam day.Avani The Kalamassery Municipality is organising a maiden rally ‘Avani’ from Edappally Toll to the temple with floats highlighting various art forms of the state on September 7. The function is being organised on a par with ‘Athachamayam’ in Tripunithura.This will help create more enthusiasm in people especially those from the younger generation, Jamal Manakkadan, chairman, Kalamassery municipality, said.The Kalamassery municipality is taking the initiative to make the event a success. All political parties will take part in the event cutting across party lines.“Efforts are being made to raise funds for the event through sponsors. We are hopeful of raising the funds,” he said.He said that the flag would be taken across Kalamassery on September 6 and 7 and the procession would reach Edappally Toll at 3 pm.The temple houses some records of historic importance. The most important event of the religious calendar of the temple is Onam. The Onasadya or the Onam feast is held in a grand manner in the temple with a large number of people cutting across religious barriers participating in it.