Sabarimala ‘Thiruvabharanam’ carrier Gangadharan Pillai dies at 92

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.

The cremation would be held at the premises of his house here on Saturday, sources added.