Rajnath Singh to open pilgrimage

Thiruvananthapuram: Union defence minister Rajnath Singh will inaugurate the 90th annual pilgrimage of Sivagiri Mutt on December 30. Union minister of state for external affairs V Muraleedharan will be the chief guest at the event.
Sree Narayana Dharma Sangham president Swami Sachidananda and pilgrimage committee secretary Swami Vishalananda said that the centenary celebrations of Rabindranath Tagore’s visit to Sivagiri and Kumaran Ashan’s famous poetry ‘Chandalabhikshuki’ will be held along with this.
The pilgrimage will begin with Swami Sachidananda hoisting the flag at 7:30 am. Following this, Swami Sookshamananda and Swami Subhangananda will deliver the benediction speech at the inaugural session.
Books such as ‘Gurudevante Suvarna Rekhakal’, written by Swami Sachidananda, and ‘Sivagiri Daivadasakam Enna Daivopanishad’ written by Geetha Suraj will be released at the function. On December 31st, the pilgrimage procession will start at 4.30 am. Swami Sachidananda will deliver a message after the procession concludes at Mahasamadhi at 8.30 am. Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the pilgrimage conference at 10 am. Culture minister V N Vasavan, SNDP Yogam secretary Vellappally Natesan and Lulu Group MD Yusuff Ali M A will be the chief guests.
Goa CM Pramod Sawant will open the final day session of the 90th-anniversary celebration of the pilgrimage at 10am on January 1. Industry minister P Rajeeve will preside over the function.