Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The Thalapolli Shobha Yatra was taken out at Mahalaxmi Nagar by the Kerelam Samjham on Sunday. The Shobha Yatra commemorates the 41st day of the 60-day Mandal Puja. The devotees also came together to the Shri Ayyappa temple and participated in Napatton Puja.
The main attraction of the evening was Thalapolli, a Shobha Yatra—or procession—which was taken out from the Mahalaxmi temple with the traditional Kavadiyattam and Pettathullal and accompanied by ‘chendamelam’ (drum beating) for which artistes from the community had prepared.
The Thalapolli Shobha Yatra covered the road leading to the Ayyappa temple at 6 pm. The puja began after the Shobha Yatra reached the temple.
Deeparadhana was held at 7.30 pm. The community members came together for a ‘Bhajan Sandhya’ and sang hymns.
At 9.30 pm, the doors were closed after distribution of prasad.
At the same time, people of South Indian communities gathered at the Lord Kartikeya temple in Vijay Nagar for a special worship and decorated the temple with traditional kolam. V Rajamani, temple priest, said that this was an essential time and month for the Mandala Puja, in which a special worship is organised every year.
‘The 41st day is of prime importance’
‘The 41st day of the Mandala Puja in Scorpio month is of prime importance in the 60-day-long puja as it comes in one phase’
— Sajan Panicker, president, Shri Ayyappa temple society
