Kerala governor Rajendra Arlekar inaugurates Mahamagha Mahotsavam at Thirunavaya

Kozhikode: Governor Rajendra Arlekar on Monday formally inaugurated Mahamagha Mahotsavam at Thirunavaya and conducted the traditional hoisting of the ceremonial flag. Speaking at the event, Arlekar said that the timeless tradition of Sanathana Dharma is not against anybody "The great tradition of Sanathana Dharma has been revived again and again. Let nobody fear of us. We have always brought them together. We have never gone out of the country to conquer. We have gone there to win the hearts of the people," he added. He said that dharma is not merely about rituals or forms of worship. "Dharma is righteousness. It is a commitment to what is right, just and humane. This is our great heritage and I choose to follow this path with conviction," he added. "We should be proud of our tradition and should never be ashamed of it," the governor said. Meanwhile, the event organizers said Tamil Nadu police denied permission for the rath yatra as part of the festival which was to commence from Thirumoorthy Hills near Udumalaipettai in Tamil Nadu, the source of Bharatapuzha. One of the organizers said that the Tamil Nadu govt's decision to block the procession was unfortunate. He said the yatra would continue from Palakkad as per the pre-decided plan, with receptions and related programmes being held at temples along the route starting from Palakkad. He said he could not understand whether such obstacles were being created by the administration based on "directions from Chennai or Thiruvananthapuram". He said that permission was denied just hours before the procession, being taken on a four-wheeler with minimal decorations, was about to begin. Receptions for the rath yatra were arranged only within temples and ashrams, with no roadside events planned. Meanwhile, Nila Aarti will be performed along riverbanks as part of the festival from Monday till Feb 3 when the festival concludes.