Kerala govt to hold global Ayyappa devotees meet at Sabarimala in September

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 7 (PTI) The Kerala government is going to hold a global Ayyappa devotees meet at Sabarimala in September, state Devasom Minister V N Vasavan said on Thursday.

The one-day meet, being held for the first time in Kerala, will be jointly organised with the Travancore Devaswom Board in the third week of September, between 16 to 21, the minister said at a press meet here.

Ayyappa devotees from all over the world and various states of the country will be brought together on one platform at the meet which is being organised as part of the 75th anniversary of the Board, he said.

The devotees' meet to be held in Pampa is being organised with the aim of spreading the message of universal humanity called 'Tatvamasi' throughout the world and "presenting Sabarimala to the world as a divine, traditional and sustainable global pilgrimage center", the minister said.

Around 3,000 delegates are expected to take part in the meet which will be the beginning of larger similar gatherings in future, he said.

Vasavan said that arrangements will be made in such a manner that devotees will arrive a day before the event and have darshan at the Lord Ayyappa shrine before taking part in the meet.

A German pavilion similar to the one used during the annual pilgrimage season at the shrine will be constructed in Pampa to provide seating for 3,000 people, he said. PTI HMP HMP ADB