Thiruvananthapuram: As more people choose to offer ‘bali’ at temples close to home, number of devotees offering balith-arpanam at Thiruvallam seems to have decreased compared to previous years.
While Parasurama temple officials claim that the systematic queues led to the decongestion, many believers said that pollution and rush was the reason to opt for other venues.
“Usually, we brothers and sisters offer Bali at Thiruvallam which is also our native place. This time only our elder brother offered bali and he did it at Irumk-ulangara temple. There is no point in going to Thiruvallam as a holy dip is no more possible,” said Mr Gireeshan Nair.
The actual footfall of visitors at Thiruvallom was being computed at the time of going to print.
Meanwhile, despite restrictions being declared not less than 15,000 people offered Bali at Shangumugham which had its beaches shrunken by sea-erosion. The devotees were not allowed to take a dip in the sea but were provided with showers. Rush was massive at smaller temples at places like Thrikkannapuram and Kadinamkulam.
As per Travancore Devasom Board officials around 50,000 people visited Papanasam Beach, Varkala for offering bali and attending ‘homam’.
More people compared to previous years has visited the spot. Similarly, around 10,000 people offered Vavubali at Aruvippuram on Neyyar.
MLAs C.K. Hareendran and K Ansalan were present on the spot.
