Just as the monsoon over Kerala enters its second leg, Aranmula, a river-side village in Pathanamthitta — a part of former Travancore, kicks off preparations to host a flotilla of snake boats along its banks. Men, on board decorated boats calledPalliyodams, will soon start dropping in here from the 52 villages along the serene banks of the Pampa — from the hilly Edakulam upstream to the backwater landscape of Chennithala, in Alappuzha.
Dressed identically in white dhotis andmelmundu, they ignore the harsh noon sun by rowing to the tune of the rhythmicvanchipattu(boat songs) to reach Aranmula and are received with much fanfare at the ghats here. In an atmosphere charged with devotion, they climb the flight of steps that lead to the Sree Parthasarathy temple and proceed to the temple and circumambulate it for sometime — grooving to the verses all the while, before finally entering it.
The music session resumes soon afterwards as the crew enter a dining hall here to feast on theVallasadya,a ritual offering to the presiding deity Lord Parthasarathy. This time, the songs do not intend to praise the deity but to request refills of their dishes. Each item a couplet has to be recited, which spices up the sumptuous lunch. Typically incorporating up to 64 dishes, thisVallasadyais the largest of its kind and is popularly called ‘the feast of feasts’.
TheVallasadyasare organised by the devotees every year from the second leg of July, or when the Malayalam month ofKarkidakamkicks off, for a period of 72 days. And as Onam sets in, rituals meet revelry as theThiruvonathoni, which set off from Kattoor on the previous day, reaches the temple ghat early in morning. The special boat, accompanied by a regatta ofpalliyodams, brings in the provisions and vegetables for preparing the Onam feast.
Four days later, thepalliyodamswill line up once again on the Pampa here, for a regatta called theUthrattathiBoat race. Then comes the grand feast on theAshtami Rohiniday, which is served to all the devotees converging at the temple. Thevallasadyaritual will continue for a few more weeks afterwards and will draw to a close on October 2. By that time, over three lakh people will have attended the celebrations here.
