Thousands offer bali on Karkidaka vavu

T’PURAM: Thousands of people across the state today performed Bali Tharpanam ritual (a religious observance performed in honour of forefathers) on ‘Karkitaka vavu’ day.

People thronged the banks of rivers, beaches and temples since early morning to perform the ritual by offering rice balls, sandal paste and flowers, invoking the names of their ancestors and took a ceremonial bath, as per custom amid recitation of ‘mantras’ by priests.

In the city, people from different parts of the district visited the famous Parasurama temple and Sanghumughom beach here and the Papanasini beach at Varkala.

At Aluva near Kochi, people gathered at the banks of the Periyar River to observe the ceremony.

Karkitaka Vavu’ is observed on ‘amavasya’ (new moon day) of the last month of the Malayalam calendar, Karkitakam (mid-July-mid-August).