Thousands gather across Kerala for Karkidaka Vavu Bali rituals

Kochi: Karkidaka Vavu Bali rituals began across Kerala on Wednesday, with thousands of devotees gathering at major ritual centres to perform offerings for their ancestors.

The rituals began at 2 am and will continue until 3 pm. Large crowds have been reported at several centres across the state, including the Parashurama Swamy Temple at Thiruvallam, Shankhumukham and Papanasam in Varkala in Thiruvananthapuram.

A large number of devotees have gathered at Aluva Manappuram in Kochi, where 'Vavu Bali' rituals began early in the morning at 40 temporary platforms set up along the Periyar riverbank.

Kochi Metro services began at midnight to meet the travel demands of devotees. A temporary shelter has been arranged near the temple to accommodate queues of up to 500 devotees at a time. The walkways at the Manappuram have also been barricaded to regulate the movement of devotees.

Although the Irrigation Department has regulated the water level in the river, the undercurrent remains strong. Devotees have been advised to enter the river only in accordance with instructions from the authorities.

The Devaswom Board has also made alternative arrangements to shift the Bali rituals away from the riverbank if weather conditions turn adverse.
Facilities for performing Vavu Bali rituals have been arranged at several temples and other ritual centres across different districts of Kerala.