Sandesha Theertha Yathra To Sabarimala
The flag of ceremony of the Punyam Poonkavanam Sandesha Theertha Yatra to Sabarimala was held at the Sree Kanteshwara Temple , Kozhikode
On an average, more than 15 million pilgrims trek the fragile evergreen forests around Sabarimala every year. A majority of these pilgrims arrive during the short two-month window period of Mandalam season from November to January.
Even if each one of these pilgrims generate just 500 gms of garbage, the cumulative effect of garbage created after one festival season is humungous.
The toll of this piling garbage, year after year, is alarming on the forest and wild life around the shrine of Ayyappa. This led to the creation of Punyam Poonkavanam, a collective of agencies like Police, Devaswom, Departments of Health and Forest and Fire & Rescue, along with voluntary organisations like Ayyappa Seva Sangham and Ayyappa Seva Samajam.
“ One police officer named P. Vijayan initiated a programme named Punyam Poonkavanam and commenced a voluntary campaign for creating awareness on cleanliness of Sabarimala. It has now evolved into a tradition whereby pilgrims believe that their yatra will remain incomplete if they do not contribute to the cause through voluntary physical labour. Punyam Poonkavanam in itself is an example of converting cleanliness challenge into sanskar and a habit.”
- Sri Narendra Modi,
Prime Minister of India in his ‘Mann ki Baath’
on December 31, 2017
“It is encouraging to see the commitment of men in uniform and the devoted devotees of Lord Ayyappa in keeping the Poonkavanam serene and free of pollutants. I wish them all the Lord’s blessings.”
- Justice
Devan Ramachandran,
High Court of Kerala.
If you leave Lord Ayyappa’s Sacred Grove polluted, is your pilgrimage really taking you to Moksha, or deeper down to realms of Sin? That is the starting point for Punyam Poonkavanam Project.
Punyam Poonkavanam is a civic response to a social issue that has been building up for many years now. The call for saving Poonkavanam from destruction resonated across all strata of society. People from priests of the temple to judges, top police officials to film actors, highly placed government officials to artistes – everyone joined with one mind to make the changemaking initiative effective. This is the answer Sabarimala has been seeking.
If wild animals, Lord Ayyappa’s constant companions, killed after eating sugar-laced plastic? Just think, does your pilgrimage lead to Moksha or Sin?
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If Poonkavanam stinking with food leftovers and other waste and River Pampa, where Lord Ayyappa bathes, is filled soap, oil and discarded clothes?
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If many lives lost in needless and senseless stampedes, when every Ayyappa has equal place before the Lord?
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Punyam Poonkavanam 2020 - 2021 Inauguration done by Thanthri Bramhmasri Kandararu Rajeevaru at Sabarimala Sannidhanam in 16th Nov 2020.
The renovated website has been launched by Shri. N Vasu, President of Travancore Devaswom Board.
Joining Time: 09.15 Hrs Programme Time: 09. 30 Hrs Nov 16, 2020 Mumbai, Kolkata, New Delhi
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2013011001?pwd=YU1peWROYlpIYTJtZnR4VFo2cWt3UT09
