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Sandhya Vela is another ritual specially conducted* Vaikom particularly during the 40 days preceding Ashtami. The main ceremony is recital of Vedas by learned Brahmins sitting on the mandapam. Then there are siveli or procession in the morning, of course a feast at noon and vilakku (Laksha deepam) at night.
Different parties like the rulers of Travancore and Cochin, various associations like the Brahmin samooham and neighboring devaswoms like Ambalapuzha used via with one another in the past in celebrating Sandhya Vela. Now these have become symbolic and the Devaswom itself under Government control conducts most of the rituals. The administration of Vaikom temple was in the hands of 108 Nambudiris, called Uralars (literally, governing committee of the village.)
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