KOCHI:
Lok Sabha member K V Thomas greeted the Oushadha Biksha Yatra of Sreedhareeyam Oushadheswari temple as the campaign reached the famed Ernakulam Lord Shiva temple as part of its tour of 114 shrines across the state.
Thomas, Chairman of Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament made symbolic offering of ghee and ‘thriphala’ -a mixture three medicinal ingredients- to the Yatra, as befits the tradition, when it reached the temple in the heart of the city Tuesday evening.
He also lauded the organisers for planning such a major programme, which provides 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 Sreedhareeyam Ayurvedic Hospital”, he said.
Entering the second week of its journey, the Yatra today passed through different shrines of Ernakulam district, where devotees thronged to greet and make offerings to the unique campaign. When it reached Thiruvairanikkulam temple, senior RSS functionary PEB Menon along with the authorities of the shrine received the Yatra and offered ‘Biksha’.
Menon recalled that in the olden days people used to take one month respite during Karkitakam of Malayalam calendar every year and follow a ‘satwik’ (frugal and modest) diet during the month of Karkitakam.
“There’s a concept and ideology behind that. The Yatra helps to propagate that purpose and vision on a major scale,” he pointed out.
At Perumbavoor Thottuva Dhanwanthari temple, Cochin Devaswom Board member, Arun Kumar, and the temple officials received the Yatra and offered ‘Biksha’.
Arun Kumar said the Yatra will help create awareness about the age old traditions and values pertaining to Ayurveda. The Yatra had its stop-over at Aluva Manappuram, the sand banks on the river Periyar where thousands congregate during Maha Shiv Ratri, Thottuva Dhanwantari temple, Chelamattom Sree Krishna temple and Kaladi Sringeri Mutt in the district.
The Yatra, which marks the revival of a centuries old custom of gathering ingredients for the restorative Ayurvedic preparation 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.
Though an ancient practice, this was 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.
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.
