Royal family members perform Vilichu Chollal

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The members of the Travancore royal family on Friday performed ‘Vilichu Chollal’ an act of penance, at Sree Padamanabha Swamy Temple. The royal family members led by Uthradam Tirunal Marthandavarma performed the ritual by confessing their misdeeds loud in the Ottakkal Mandapam in front of the main deity inside the temple, followed by the ‘Dravya Samarpanam’ ceremony.The main priest of the temple, Tharananalloor Parameswaran Nampoothiripad administered the rites.The devotees and temple staff also performed the ceremony, but in front of the flagmast outside the Nalambalam.  Executive officer V K Harikumar led the rituals that were performed outisde.This had also caused some tension as some devotees protested against keeping them outside the temple while the ritual was underway. However, the devotees were allowed to go in, once the ‘Vilichu Chollal’ was over, to perform the ‘Dravya Samarpanam’.