Thirunavaya Navamukunda Temple gears up for Kumbh Mela

MALAPPURAM: Kerala is also gearing up for the Kumbh Mela, the Hindu pilgrimage gathering held once every 12 years. The pilgrim gathering will be held on the banks of the Bharathapuzha River in front of the Navamukunda temple in Thirunavaya in Malappuram district. The Mahamaham, the Kumbh Mela in Kerala, will be held from January 16 to February 3. It has been decided to celebrate a large-scale Mahamaham in 2028. The ceremonies are now being held as a preparation for that.

Juna Akhara, the largest monastic community in the country, will lead the rituals. There will be a bath in the Bharathapuzha, Nila Aarti, a ceremony to worship Bharathapuzha as the mother, spiritual discourses by the acharyas, chanting, offering prayers to the sannyasis, and cultural programs. Those who come from the temples will bring their lamps and add them to the Akhanda Jyothi installed at Navamukunda. They will be given a sapling of the Magha tree, a banyan tree. While planting the sapling, they should imagine it as the goddess of protection and pour the holy water received from the Kumbh Mela on it. Every day, the acharyas of each sannyasi lineage will lead the bath and discourses.

Mata Amritanandamayi, Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Sami Avadheshananda Giri Maharaj are the chief patrons, while Devaswom Minister V.N. Vasavan, Malabar Devaswom Board President O.K. Vasu, Travancore Devaswom Board President K. Jayakumar, Cochin Devaswom Board President K. Raveendran, Guruvayur Devaswom Board Chairman V.K. Vijayan are the patrons.