Aiming to make cultural changes in the manner in which celebrations are held, the state sponsored Suchitwa Mission has initiated a Green Protocol in Malayatoor for ‘Malayatoor Puthunjayar Thirunal’ season this year.
The effort is being jointly held in association with Malayatoor Church Thirunal committee, district administration, Department of Forest and Pelican Foundation. The project is aimed at dissuading the devotees from bringing plastics and disposables during the pilgrimage season following the success of the model during the National Games, state kalotsavam, Attukal Pongala and a host of other events and gatherings across the state.
Adequate arrangements are being made to provide drinking water and reusable cutleries in the trekking path.
According to the Malayattoor Thirunal committee, the organizers will appeal the public not to bring disposable items of any kind to commemorate the festival. Instead, each person has to bring their own steel plates and steel glass for food and drinks.“
Organisers have also maintained that the purified water being provided along the trekking area to Kurisumudy is as good as the bottled water which is being served in pet bottles.
“We will announce this throughout the season and appeal the public to use it to avoid disposables in all possible ways. We have also taken measures to avoid selling candles in plastic covers with the help of Police Department and State Revenue Department. Food counters opened at the Church premises will use steel plates and glasses,” said C N Manoj, Trustee Pelican Foundation.
The thirunal committee has decided to revive the age old tradition of distributing butter milk to reduce the consumption of packaged soft drinks.
The organizers have also advised the NGOs, various sponsors, spiritual groups and individuals who serve food for the devotees to strictly avoid disposable items. Suchitwa mission has agreed to arrange as many stainless steel cutleries and volunteers/ paid personnel to assist in cleaning of the cutleries.
The Malayattoor Kurisumudy, an international pilgrim center of St Thomas the Apostle witness pilgrims through the year but the number of devotees who gather at the Kurisumudy during the Lenten season, especially the holy week - is the largest, especially on Monday, Thursday and Good Friday.
The main feast is on Puthunjayar (new Sunday) the feast of the proclamation of Jesus as Lord and God by St Thomas the Apostle. Malayattoor pilgrimage (climbing Kurisumudy) is done as a vow in reparation of sins.
The green protocol team believe the fruits of the month long penance and prayer, proclaiming simple living and spiritual life is best reflected when the pilgrims conduct their services without doing any harm to nature and the use of disposables and packaged drinking water do not reflect well with the ideology and soul of the pilgrimage.
The effort is a joint venture of Suchitwa Mission, Malayatoor Church Thirunal committee, district administration, Department of Forest and Pelican Foundation
What are the arrangements?
Reusable cutleries will be provided at the trekking path in lieu of packaged drinking water
Vendors have been asked to avoid selling candles in plastic covers
Food counters opened at the Church premises will have to provide steel plates and glasses
The thirunal committee has decided to revive the age old tradition of distributing butter milk to reduce the consumption of packaged soft drinks