THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Devotees across Kerala gathered at different temples and ghats to pay tribute to their ancestors on the occasion of Karkidaka vavu bali on Monday.
In a remarkable coincidence, the vavu bali day coincides with the auspicious first day of Karkidakam, when Karkidaka vavu and the commencement of the Ramayana month align.
The new moon day in Karkidakam is usually demarcated for bali tharpanam. Every year believers visit holy places to perform the rites known as ‘bali tharpanam’ to propitiate the ancestors. It involves making an offering in their memory. Sesame and water are the most essential ingredients for the offering. The ritual may have slight region-wise variations.
In Kerala, besides Thiruvallam in Thiruvananthapuram district and Thirunelli in Wayanad, thousands of people also throng holy places such as Varkala, Aluva Manappuram and Thirunavaya in Malappuram, to offer prayers to their ancestors every year.
During the bali tharpanam, Seva Bharati members were actively involved in providing drinking water distribution to the devotees, along with running medical camps.
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