Malayalis observe Makaravilakku in Bokaro, feast on traditional platter

Bokaro: The Malayali community in Bokaro added their own flavour to Makar Sankranti on Saturday as more than a thousand devotees flocked to Sree Ayyappa temple at Sector 5 to celebrate Makaravilakku. The Keralites cook and feast on traditional cuisine to mark this colorful festival.
Devotees offered prayers along with priests and chanted Vedic mantras. Members of other communities also joined in the prayer ceremony, which was followed by a feast on the temple premises, said Satish Nayar, president of Ayyappa Seva Sangam. A crowd of well over 5,000 relished the prasad — a traditional platter that included rice, sambhar, papadam, payasam and pickles.
“I felt really blessed to be part of the festival at Sree Ayyappa Temple today. The traditional food with prasad served was very good,” said Ragini Srivastava, wife of a BSL officer.
Secretary of Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Mahesh Tripathi said, “From food to the way Keralites celebrate their festivals are impressive.”
After the Bokaro township's establishment, 2,000 Keralite families settled down in the 1980s. At present, there are about 200 Keralites living in the town who have kept the essence of their heritage alive.
Suresh Kumar, a doctor, who took part in the celebration, said, “In Kerala’s Pathanamthitta district, an estimated half a million devotees visit the Sabarimala shrine every year for this festival. The Makaravilakku festival at Sabarimala features the procession of thiruvabharanam (Ayyappan's sacred ornaments). Lord Ayyappan is believed to be an incarnation of Dharma Sasta- the offspring of Mohini and Shiva.”