Kerala - Kochi   

Thousands throng Aluva for bali

Staff Reporter

Floodwaters recede from temple; showers do not disrupt rites

PROPITIATING ANCESTORS: People who have come to offer `bali' on the premises of the temple at Aluva manalpuram on Thursday. — Photo: Vipin Chandran

KOCHI: Thousands offerred `Karkkidaka Vavu bali' on Thursday at the Aluva manalpuram, on the premises of the Mahadeva temple there. Men, women and children thronged the temple from early morning. About 50 `balitharas,' the venues for performing the rites, were readied by the Devaswom Board authorities.

The rites are performed according to the Hindu custom on the occasion of Karkkidaka Vavu, the new moon day in the last month of the Malayalam almanac.

Tantriks engaged by the Board provide guidance for performing the rites in remembrance of departed souls.

Water had started receding from the temple late on Wednesday.

The temple and its premises, on the banks of the Periyar, were inundated a few days ago. Though marred by occasional showers, the weather did not disrupt the `tharpan.'

Police provided security cover and guided the people at the venue. The Navy had deployed a boat service in the river which was in spate, as a precautionary measure.

People taking a dip in the river were cautioned against moving towards swirls and deep locations. No untoward incident occurred during the day, according to officials.

People had started arriving at the manalpuram since Wednesday night. The temple was kept open from 4.30 a.m. on Thursday, main priest Subrahmanyan Namboodiri said.

The balitharas would be open for those arriving late in the day and till 7.30 a.m. on Friday, according to Devaswom Board officials. Top officials of the Board P. R. Anila, K. Raghu, P. K. Balachandran Nair and N. N. Vijaya Kumar supervised the arrangements at the manalpuram.

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