Pathanamthitta (Keralam) | At Aranmula, a heritage village in this south Keralam district where faith and food come together in an age-old tradition, the Vallassadya is drawing thousands of devotees to the temple for a feast of 64 dishes served on plantain leaves as an offering to Lord Parthasarathy.

More than just a traditional meal, the Vallassadya is a ritual offering believed to fulfil the wishes of devotees, with each dish -- from parippu, ghee, aviyal and sambar to the elaborate range of payasams, pickles and side dishes -- having a place in the elaborate feast.

Held at the famous Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple, the Vallassadya is closely linked to the Palliyodams, the sacred snake boats of the Pampa, and the communities associated with them.

The feast, spread through a series of rituals, turns the temple premises into a place where food, faith and centuries-old customs come together.

Temple officials said this year's Vallassadya season is drawing to a close.

The final 37 feasts were scheduled over four days, with seven on September 16, the closing day.

So far, 520 Vallassadyas have been held. A total of 577 were booked, including 20 that have been postponed to next year, they said.

What makes the Vallassadya special is not merely the number of dishes on the banana leaf.

It is the elaborate ritual surrounding the meal, and the belief that every serving, every song and every invitation is part of the offering to the deity.

The feast traditionally consists of 64 dishes, with curries divided into three broad categories -- side dishes, mixed curries and gravy-based preparations. Rice, dal, ghee, aviyal, sambar, thoran, pachadi, kichadi, pickles, erissery, kaalan, olan, rasam and buttermilk form the heart of the meal.

Then come the sweets and fried delicacies -- Ada Pradhaman, Pal Payasam, Pazham Pradhaman and Kadala Pradhaman, along with plantain chips, chembu and chena upperi, sharkara puratti, sesame balls, parippu vada and unniyappam.

There are also more unusual elements that give the Aranmula feast its own character -- sugarcane, ginger curd, sliced banana, cumin water, aval and malar.

But the feast does not end with what is placed on the leaf.

Some dishes are traditionally asked for through Vanchippattu, the boat songs associated with the Palliyodams.

Sugar, butter, different varieties of bananas, honey, dry ginger water, different types of thoran, brinjal mezhukkupuratti, ambazhanga, uppumanga, ripe mango curry, milk served in a silver vessel and Pampa Theertham are among the items that can be requested through the songs.

The rituals begin even before the food is served.

The feast season has been compressed this year because heavy rain and floods forced the cancellation of Vallassadyas on four days. Yet the scale remains striking--about 1.5 lakh people have already taken part in the feasts this year.

Philendran Raju, an expatriate businessman, said conducting the Vallassadya was a blessing in his life.

"While living in the Gulf region, I go through many difficulties. At all such times, Lord Krishna as Aranmula Parthasarathy has been my support. This courage helps me when I undertake several projects both abroad and in India. Therefore, I will also have the feast along with the Lord on the day of Ashtami Rohini," Philendran said.

Advocate Punya Manoj Madhavasheril, who has been offering Vallassadya at Aranmula for years, said the importance of the feast cannot be measured by the number of dishes.

"What matters is not the number of dishes available at the Aranmula Sadhya, but the blessings received through it. Taking part in the Vallassadya itself is a blessing. It is a blessing that cannot be seen or received anywhere else in the world," Manoj said.

For K V Sambadevan, president of the Palliyoda Seva Sangham, the tradition goes beyond the feast itself.

"The offering at Aranmula is conducted for the fulfilment of the wishes of devotees. Its importance and the crowds are increasing every year. Aranmula has several rituals and traditions that belong exclusively to the place. Among them, the Vallassadya is also very important," Sambadevan said.