From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Mar 16: Karnataka’s deputy chief minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan, who has been appointed the election in-charge for BJP in Kerala, has taken his job seriously by visiting and meeting not just leaders of different Christian and Catholic church in Kerala and also the Sabarimala Sri Swamy Aiyappa temple too on Tuesday evening.

After meeting and interacting with leaders of Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara and other Christian groups in Kerala, Dr Narayan, the state higher education minister, wore the Mala as a devotee of Swamy Aiyappa and walked barefoot by removing his shirt and wearing a black lungi just like other devotees from the Pampa river till the hill and participated in the ritual padi puja.

Devotion and pilgrimage to Swamy Aiyappa’s temple at Sabarimala are very popular in Kerala and several parts of Southern India, including Karnataka.

Devotees visiting the Sabarimala temple carry a specially designed bag with two compartments called Irumudikattu. It means two packages. The front pouch is meant for Lord Aiyappan and contains the ghee coconut (Neithengai) and all the pooja items needed while reaching the Sabarimala hilltop. The back pouch carries all the items needed on the way.

The ghee coconut (Neithengai) symbolizes the devotee himself who is carrying the irumudi. It is said the coconut represents the body and the ghee represents the soul. The devotees carry themselves to be offered to Swamy Aiyappa and carry back what is given back. That is the reason for offering ghee for Swamy Aiyappa Abishekam and put the empty coconut in the burning fire. The devotees carry ghee coconut and also of others from your family.

The deputy chief minister offered special padi puja to Swamy Aiyappa by walking barefoot and carrying the Irumudikattu and later visited the Pandalam Palace.

The temple’s chief tantri Rajiv Kandarau and Melshanti V K JayarajPotri performed the special puja for the deputy chief minister and offered him the prasadam. Dr Narayan stood before the golden steps and offered his Irumudi. They also explained the significance and importance of the temple and various rituals to the Deputy Chief Minister.

In the morning, Dr Narayan visited the Pandalam Palace en route to Sabarimala temple and met the members of the family of Swamy Aiyappa’s foster parent Maharaj Sri Rajashekar Perumal and sought his blessings. He received special blessings from the 102-year-old grandmother of the family Makammal Tannangi Tampurutti He witnessed the ornaments of Swamy Aiyappa in the strongroom of the Palace. He also held informal discussions with the representatives of about 400 persons of the royal family.

"This is the most memorable day of my life. I am privileged and proud to get the opportunity to visit the place where Swamy Aiyappa grew up,’’ the deputy chief minister said.