THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The 97th Mahasamadhi of Sree Narayana Gurudeva will be celebrated across the country today. Community prayers and special pujas will be held at Varkala Sivagiri, the maha samadhi place, and at Chempazhanthy Gurukulam, which is sacred due to the birth of Gurudeva.

Minister K Rajan will inaugurate the Mahasamadhi sammelan and upavasa yagna at Sivagiri at 10 am. Sree Narayana Dharma Sangam Trust President Swami Sachidananda will preside over the function. Dr. Shashi Tharoor MP will deliver the keynote address. Trust General Secretary Swami Shubhangananda, Treasurer Swami Sharadananda, Swami Sookshmananda, Adoor Prakash MP, V Joy MLA, Municipal Chairman K M Laji, Varkala Kahar, Swami Asanganandagiri and others will address the gathering. At 3 pm, Kalasha Pradakshina yatra will be held from Sharada Mutt. At 3.30 pm, mahasamadhi puja, kalashabhishekam, community prayer and upavasa yajna will be performed.

Fasting and community prayers at 9 a.m. at Chempazhanthy Vayalvaram house. Minister V Sivankutty will inaugurate the mahasamadhi day celebrations at 10 am. Kadakampally Surendran MLA, Ramesh Chennithala and Swami Abhayananda will attend. Kanji distribution will happen in the afternoon and the samadhi pooja will be performed in the evening.

Sree Narayana International Study Centre and Sree Narayana Sanskritika Samithi will jointly offer floral tributes at the Gurudeva sculpture at the Museum Sree Narayana Guru Park at 9.30 am. Minister OR Kelu and other people's representatives will participate.

Special pujas and akhanda nama japam will be performed from morning at Aruvippuram, where Gurudeva started the social revolution through the installation of a Shivalinga, and Kumaragiri Guru temple. There will be special prayer ceremonies at various temples, monasteries and gurudeva temples where Gurudeva performed consecration.

Around 7,000 branches of the SNDP yogam and various Sree Narayana organizations will organise a special prayer.