KOCHI:
Lok Sabha Member K V Thomas was among a large number of people turned up to greet the Oushadha Biksha yatra of Sreedhareeyam Oushadheswari temple as the campaign reached Ernakulam Lord Shiva temple this evening.
The Yatra, which marks the revival of a centuries old custom of gathering ingredients for the restorative Ayurvedic prearation consumed by Keralites in the Malayalam month of Karkitakam to attune their body and mind, is on its way to temples in central and north Kerala, having covered the shrines in southern districts.
Thomas, Chairman of Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament, made the symbolic offering of ghee and ‘thriphala’, -a mixture three medicinal ingredients- to the campaign, as befits the tradition.
He also lauded the organisers for planning the Yatra on such a massive scale, providing an opportunity to people throughout the state to be part of the commendable mission of invoking divine blessings for the wellness of the entire society .
“The efforts of bringing back the tradition of collecting the materials for the preparation of the Ayurvedic medicine is commendable. I was fortunate to visit the Oushadheswari Temple while on treatment at the nearby Sreedhareeyam Ayurvedic Hospital”, he said.
The Yatra rolled out last week from Koothattukulam in Ernakulam district to tour the 114 temples in the state to collect medicines and herbs to prepare the special Ayurvedic preparation in a vehicle, fashioned as a chariot, with the lighted lamp and idol of Oushadheswari (Goddess of Welness) installed in it.
Though an ancient practice, this was the for the first time that such an extensive campaign has been organized to visit all the main temples in the length and breadth of the state, ahead of Karkitakam in mid-July.
Tomorrow, the Yatra will resume its north-bound journey from the Aluva Manappuram , the sand banks on the river Periyar, where thousands gather during the Shivratri.
The Yatra will then move on to Thiruvairankkulam temple, where the authorities of the shrine and senior RSS functionary PEB Menon will receive it and offer the ‘biksha’.
The road show will then move to Perumbavoor Sree Dharma Sastha temple, where it will be received by Travancore Deveswom Board (TDB) member, Shri Arun Kumar, and others. It will then travel to Thottuva Dhanwantari temple, Chelamattom Sree Krishna temple and Kaladi Sringeri Mutt before entering Thrissur district.
The Yatra was flagged off from the Oushadheswari tepmle at Koothattukulam on June 27.
