Erumely Petta Thullal held with ritualistic fervour

Sacred dance performed by Ambalappuzha and Alangad groups

Petta Thullal, the ritualistic sacred dance marking the last leg of the annual Sabarimala pilgrimage season, was held at Erumely on Tuesday.

Teams of Ayyappa devotees from Ambalappuzha and Alangad performed the ceremonial mass dance as hundreds thronged the streets of the temple town here to witness the unique celebration of communal harmony.

The Ambalappuzha group, comprising about 300 devotees and led by Samooha Periyon N. Gopalakrishna Pillai, was the first to begin the dance by 12.15 p.m. after the citing of the Brahmini kite in the sky. The group danced through the streets of Erumeli and was accorded a reception at the Nainar mosque by the Erumely Mahallu Muslim Jama-ath led by its president P.A. Irshad and secretary C.A.M. Kareem. After circumambulating the mosque, the group proceeded to the Erumely Sree Dharma Sastha temple and then to Pampa via the forest route