lakhs of Hindus in Kerala on Tuesday performed Bali Tharpanam, the ritual of paying tribute to their departed dear, at specially prepared centres on river banks and sea shores, braving heavy monsoon rain, flood and sea erosion on the day of Vavu (new moon) of Karkadaka, the last month of the Malayalam calendar.
Heavy rush of people reaching for performing the Bali ritual from early morning was witnessed at Thiruvallam, Sankummukham and Papanasam in Thiruvananthapuram, Thrikkunnappuzha in Alappuzha, Aluva near Kochi, Pambadi in Thrissur, Thirunavaya in Malappuram, Papanasini in Kannur and several other places.
Special security arrangements had been made for performing the Bali at all centres as the rivers had been flowing above danger mark following the heavy rain lashing the State for the past three days and the coastal areas were witnessing sea erosion. The authorities had posted life guards at Bali Tharpan platforms on river bans and sea shores.
Belief is that the Bali would be received by all ancestors if it is done on the Vavu day of Karkadaka. Believers perform the ritual by offering rice, gingelly, curd and Tulasi leaves in plantain leaves in an act of symbolic feeding of the departed ancestors as per the instructions of the initiating priest.
Thousands of believers thronged the temple at Thiruvallam, the only shrine dedicated to Parasurama in Kerala, for performing the ritual right from 3.00 am on Tuesday. State Congress president Ramesh Chennithala was one of those thousands who performed Bali at the Thiruvallam temple.
Heavy rush of Bali performers was witnessed at Aluva near Kochi, considered as one of the holiest spots in the State for the ritual, despite the fact that river Periyar remained swollen. The facilities for the ritual were arranged far above the river bank as the Manappuram (the river’s sand bed where the ritual used to be held every year) had been inundated.