The Union Minister for Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation, Mahesh Sharma, will inaugurate the Uthrittathi snake-boat regatta in the Pampa river at Aranmula on August 31. Fifty-one snake-boats (Palliyodams) will take part in this year’s regatta, according to K.G. Sasidharan Pillai, and P.R. Radhakrishnan Nair, president and secretary of the Palliyoda Seva Sanghom (PSS) that organises the annual event.
Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala will preside over the inaugural ceremony to be held at a specially prepared pavilion on the banks of the Pampa at Sathrakkadavu in Aranmula on August 31. Revenue Minister Adoor Prakash; Water Resources Minister P.J. Joseph; and Tourism Minister A.P. Anilkumar will also address the function. A procession of 51 decorated Palliyodams will precede the event, say the PSS leaders.
For the race, the snake-boats have been categorised under A and B sections on the basis of their size. The pageantry and race will be held in batches of four snake-boats each. The winners in the A and B categories will be presented with the Mannam Trophy.
Dr. Pillai said the PSS, the apex body of various Palliyoda Karayogams own snake-boats, was making arrangements for the smooth conduct of the annual regatta which is billed as a major tourism event.
Dr. Pillai said the Kerala High Court had accepted the PSS decision to implement ‘turn’ system for the sadya contractors for the Vallasadya at the Sree Parthasarathy Temple. He said the PSS decision was to ensure quality of the Aranmula Vallasadya, the feast offered by the devotees to the snak-eboat crew, treating them as representatives of the presiding deity. The court further upheld the PSS stand that giving free hand to the contractors in the conduct of Vallasadya and for canvassing devotees who offer the Vazhipadu would affect the quality of the feast, he said.