Sabarimala ‘Thiruvabharanam’ carrier Gangadharan Pillai dies at 92

Veteran member of the Sabarimala Thiruvabharanam procession group, Kulathinal Gangadharan Pillai, has passed away at the age of 92 following age-related ailments. Pillai had been a member of the group carrying Thiruvabharana petakam, or sacred ornaments chest, to the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa Temple since the age of 18. He began accompanying his father on the annual pilgrimage from Pandalam to Sabarimala when he was young and continued the journey until he was 86.

Despite retiring some years ago, Pillai continued to receive the ornament chest from the Pandalam Palace for the procession and accompanied it to Sabarimala until 2025. His cremation will take place at his house premises on Saturday.

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