ALAPPUZHA:
Oushadha Biksha Yatra, the unique road show being taken out by the Oushadheswari temple of Koothattuklam , is an effort to emphasise the key role of temples in propagating Ayurveda as a total and holistic wellness system, observes Hari N Namboothiri, Trustee of the Oushadheswari temple.
He was explaining the idea behind the Yatra when it reached the Thiruvizha Sree Mahadeva temple today, where hundreds gathered to greet and offer ‘biksha’ to the campaign, set out from Koothattukulam last week to pass through 114 temples across the state.
“Apart from accepting ‘ Biksha’ (symbolic offering of medicinal ingredients in the form of alms) from the devotees, we believe the Yatra will help create an awareness about Ayurveda and the role played by temples in popularising this ancient Indian system of wellness , ” Namboothiri pointed out.
Chandrashekara Marar, Thiruvizha Devasom Manager, said that he considered it as a blessing that the temple got an opportunity to host the Yatra which had been touring the state for a noble cause. This is the first of its kind campaign undertaken in the state to collect medicines and herbs from various temples to prepare the special monsoon season Ayurvedic preparation.
The medicine will be served to the people for mental and physical agility during the month of Karkitakam of Malayalam calendar. TheYatrarolls on in a decorated vehicle, fashioned as achariot, carrying the lighted lamp and the idol of Goddess Oushadheswari installed in it.
The seventh day of the Yatra, started from Mararikkulam Mahadeva temple at 5.30 in the morning, and touched Kunnathu Sree Khandakarna temple, Kanichukulangara Devi temple, Cherthala Karthyayani Devi Temple, Thuravoor Mahadeva temple and Aroor Sreekumara Vilasom Temple en route. Later in the day, the Yatra entered Ernakulam disrict with Sree Krishna Swamy Temple, Edakochi, being its first stop-over.
