Shivarathri Bali Tharpanam: Aluva Sree Mahadeva Temple thronged by thousands of devotees

KOCHI: Thousands of devotees, both young and old, thronged the Sree Mahadeva Temple at Aluva on Monday to offer special poojas and perform Bali Tharpanam as part of the Shivarathri celebrations. The temple and adjacent areas of the Aluva Manappuram, which had been adversely affected by the floods last year, have been spruced up for the festivities. Brightly illuminated lights adorned the temple premises even as the customary lighting of the temple lamp was held on Monday night kicking off the rituals.

According to Aluva Municipality chairperson Lissy Abraham, a temporary stand for KSRTC buses has been set up at the far end of the temple, in a major relief to devotees. "Nearly 50 electric posts which stood near the banks of the Periyar were destroyed in the aftermath of the floods. We have now restored the posts. Also, basic amenities including water and shelters for the devotees who want to take rest have been arranged," said Lissy. 

S Sridhar Sarma, administrative officer, Sree Mahadeva Temple, said arrangements have been put in place for devotees to offer bali without any hassle. At least 178 ‘balipeedoms’ along the banks have been set up. 
"Devotees have started arriving at the Manappuram since Sunday evening. This is quite unusual, since every year, we usually find crowds only from the early morning. The majority of the devotees offer Balitharpanams on Sivarathri, while a few offer it during the early morning hours. The temple administration is responsible for serving food and water for free to the devotees, who will number about 10 lakh," he said.

This year, the green protocol has been strictly implemented, to ensure that the Periyar river is not polluted. "The pollution of the water bodies is an issue. Though we had initiated the protocol the previous year, it has been implemented strictly only this year. Food and drinks are being served in non-plastic plates. We have also set up nets on the Periyar to ensure that plastic is not dumped into the water," he said.
 The Navy has arranged for boats to be stationed at different locations near the banks of the Periyar at Aluva. "This is to ensure the safety of all pilgrims," Sridhar said.