Banks of Meenachil in Kottayam come alive as Kumaranalloor Goddess takes to the waters

Kumaranalloor: The waters of the Meenachil turned into a moving trail of devotion on Sunday as Kumaranalloor Bhagavathy, the presiding deity of the Kumaranalloor Devi Temple, set out on her annual Ooruchutt Jalolsavam. The ritual is rooted in the belief that the goddess journeys through the village’s waterways aboard a palliyodam (snake boat), blessing devotees gathered along the banks.

Festivities during the day began after the morning rituals at the temple. The idol of the lion-mounted goddess, believed to be imbued with divine presence, was carried in a procession from the temple to the Puthenkadavu ghats (arattu kadavu), accompanied by traditional percussion and devotional songs.

Devaswom administrator C N Narayanan Namboothiri handed over a ceremonial replica of the goddess's lion mount to representatives of the Karayogams. It was then placed aboard the Karuvatta Sree Vinayakan chundan. Several other vessels joined the procession, while devotees made offerings to the diety at various points along the route. The procession was organised with the support of NSS Karayogams 777, 1462, 1791, 3561 and 1535.

Karayogam president P N Sasidharan Nair and celebrations committee general convener D Unnikrishnan Nair Brahminiyil led the event. Sudheesh Kudarathil, Jyothikumar Tharayil, Prakash Menamkara and Anilkumar Tharayil steered the chundan.

The procession moved along the Meenachil and its tributaries, with devotees singing vanchipattu (boat songs) along the route. Radhakrishnan Nair Mazhuvancheril, M T Chandran, M K Prasannakumar, M R Sreekumar Mazhuvancheril, K G Parameshwaran Nair, P K Arun Kumar, Anandakkuttan Sreenilayam and Chandrasekharan Nair were among those who helped lead the procession.

Speaker Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, municipal chairperson M P Santhosh Kumar and councillors Vimala Murali, G Rajesh, Vinu R Mohan, T C Roy and B Ambili were among those present.

The flotilla was accorded receptions at around 30 locations along the route, including Chammangad Sreekrishna Swamy Temple, Konthukadavu, Neelamangalam Kadavu, Sreenilayam Kadavu, Ilayidathu Kadavu, Malimel Kadavu, Palakkattu Kadavu, Poovathumali Kadavu, Ambattu Temple, Cherunarakam Bridge, Suryakaladi Mana, Nattassery NSS Karayogam No. 1535, Palakkadi Kadavu, Chungam Bridge, Panayakkazhippu, Govindapuram Kadavu, Thiruvatta Sreekrishna Temple and Marathuruth Sastha Temple.