Dhanalakshmi group's tribal community marriage to happen at Pournamikavu temple today; 216 grooms and brides to get married

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Community marriage of couples from Adivasi communities will be held today between 11:45 am and 12:45 pm at Pournamikavu temple to mark the inauguration of the 100th branch of Dhanalakshmi Group in Thrissur.

216 young men and women were selected from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra states from 1500 applications received.

Kailasapuri Swami, Mahakal Baba of Aghori monks will solemnize the weddings. Goa Governor PS Sreedharan Pillai will be the Chief Guest. Makam Thirunal Kerala Varma Raja of Pandalam Palace, Madurai Adheenam pontiff Harihara Desika Swamigal, Chief Priest of Tripurantaka Temple Sivachariyar Bhagyaraj, Pushpanjali Swami of Sri Padmanabha Swamy Temple Parameshwara Brahmananda, Prof Achyuta Bharati, Gowri Lakshmi Bayi of Travancore Palace and others will participate.

The customary Gotra Pujas were held earlier in the villages of the bride and groom. There are also 82 brides and grooms from Sathyamangalam forest, including children and grandchildren of Veerappan's assistants.

There will be Panchavadyam and tribal art performances by 51 artists in the morning. There will be music of bamboo instruments performed by Vayali Bamboo, Kaikottikali fusion by Njandoorkonam Sree Bhadra at 6:30 pm and Natarang at 7:30 pm. Today Pournamikavu temple will perform 23 pujas which are not done in normal temples.