Sabarimala ‘Thiruvabharanam’ carrier Gangadharan Pillai dies at 92
Kulathinal Gangadharan Pillai, a long-time participant in the sacred Sabarimala Thiruvabharanam procession, has passed away at age 92. He was known for his lifelong dedication to carrying the sacred ornaments to the Lord Ayyappa Temple.
Why it matters
The death of a prominent figure in a major religious tradition marks the end of an era for a significant cultural and spiritual practice in Kerala.
Kulathinal Gangadharan Pillai, a veteran member of the Sabarimala Thiruvabharanam (sacred ornaments) procession group, died on Friday following age-related ailments, family sources said. He was 92. Pillai had been a member of the group carrying Thiruvabharana petakam (sacred ornaments chest) to Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa Temple since the age of 18.
He began accompanying his father on the annual journey carrying the sacred ornaments from Pandalam to Sabarimala when he was young and continued the pilgrimage till the age of 86, sources said. Though he retired some years ago, he continued to receive the ornament chest from the Pandalam Palace for the procession and accompanied it to Sabarimala until 2025.
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