Aug.31 Pathanamthitta The Aranmula Uthrattathi Water Festival, marking the idol installation anniversary of Aranmula Lord Parthasarathi, will be celebrated on Thursday.A record number of 39 Palliyodams (snake-boats) will take part in the procession and race to be held as part of the unique event, Palliyoda Seva Sangham, the apex body of the palliyodams which organises the festival, president K G Sasidharan Pillai said.
Inaugural function The festival will be inaugurated by Union Tourism Minister Ambika Soni at 1 pm. Home and Tourism Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan will preside over the function. Water Resources Minister N K Premachandran, Devaswom and Cooperation Minister G Sudhakaran, Transport Minister Mathew T Thomas, MPs C S Sujatha and P J Kurian, MLAs K C Rajagoplan, K Sivadasan Nair and Raju Abraham, NSS general secretary P K Narayana Panicker and Travancore Devaswom Board president C K Guptan will offer felicitations.
Awards Trophies and cash awards will be presented to the winners of the race in both A and B batch Palliyodams. Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister T K A Nair will light the traditional lamp, marking the beginning of the water festival.District Collector Ashok Kumar Sigh will hoist the flag at 10 am.According to reports, Sasidharan Pillai said that the water-level in Pampa was sufficient for the smooth conduct of the procession and race, following good rain since Tuesday evening.
