Sivagiri pilgrimage to begin today

SIVAGIRI: The 89th annual pilgrimage of Sivagiri Mutt will begin on Thursday. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the event today at 10 am. Swami Parananda will light the Bhadradeepam. Sree Narayana Dharma Sangham Trust president Swami Sachidananda will preside over the function.

The poojas will start early morning on Thursday with Shanthihavanam at Parnashala, special poojas at Sharadha Mutt and recitation of Guru deva krithis. The pilgrimage will begin with Swani Sachidananda hoisting the flag of dharma at 7:30 am. Education, one of the goals of the pilgrimage, is the topic of discussion at the inaugural session. SNDP Yogam president Dr M.N. Soman and former ministers Dr Thomas Isaac and K Babu will be the chief guests. Sree Gokulam Group chairman Gokulam Gopalan, Adv. V. Joy MLA, Sree Narayana Guru Confederations president Adv VK Mohammad, Varkala Municipal Corporation chairman KM Laji and Guruvayur Devaswom Board Chairman Adv KB Mohandas will speak at the function. Sree Narayana Dharma Sangham Trust general secretary Swami Ritambharananda will deliver the welcome address and Pilgrimage Committee secretary Swami Guruprasad will deliver the vote of thanks. R Dyumna and S Shruthi, who secured the 7th and 9th rank respectively from the Sivagiri Sree Narayana Senior Secondary School in the 2020 CBSE examination, will be commended.

Union Minister V Muraleedharan will inaugurate the health conference on hygiene at 12.30 pm. Minister Veena George will preside over the function. Dr. PS Indu, Dr SS Lal, Dr A Sajeed, Dr P Chandramohan, Varkala Kahar, Dr Titi Prabhakaran will speak. Swami Dharmachaitanya will deliver the welcome speech and EM Somanathan will deliver the vote of thanks. V Muraleedharan will honour 92-year-old G John Mattackal who won 21 international gold medals in hurdles. The first and second volumes of Swami Sachchidananda's book 'Guruprabhavam Prabhashanangaliloode' will be released.

Minister J Chinchu Rani will inaugurate the conference on Agriculture at 3 pm. Governor Arif Mohammad Khan will inaugurate the Brahma Vidyalaya Golden Jubilee Conference at 5 pm. Then there will be art events. This will be followed by cultural programs.