Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

`Thiruvonam' celebrated

Special Correspondent

Heavy rush in temples; special pujas held

Thiruvananthapuram: After days of hectic festivities and shopping, the city witnessed a respite on Tuesday as residents switched over to the traditional mode to celebrate Thiruvonam.

Right from dawn, devotees flocked to temples to offer yellow `Onakodi' to their favourite deities. Many temples had special pujas. The roads remained largely deserted.

Most people preferred to spend the day with their family for the customary Thiruvonam feast (Onasadya) in the afternoon. Unlike in the previous years, a sizeable segment of the middle and upper middle class turned up for the Onasadya at hotels, signalling a change in urban lifestyle.

Residents' associations organised contests and cultural programmes. In some colonies and apartment complexes, the traditional Onasadya turned out to be a family get-together.

Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple at East Fort saw a steady stream of devotees. Attukal Devi temple, Pazhavangady Ganapathy temple and Sreekanteswaram temple and smaller temples across the city witnessed large crowds.

Footpath vendors who had virtually taken over the streets in the Thampanoor and East Fort areas this past week were winding up their business by Saturday morning. Most shops and commercial establishments remained closed.

By evening, holiday crowds were threading their way to tourist spots for a quiet get away. The Shanghumughom beach, the tourist villages at Veli and Akkulam, and the Nishagandhi open air auditorium on Kanakakunnu Palace grounds were the favourite destinations.

In the suburban areas, the Onam festivities organised by arts and sports clubs continued. The hotly-contested Athapookalam contests drew to a close.

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