Over 2,000 people registered to participate in the famous ‘Thooka Festival’ of Kollemcode Sree Devi Temple, one of the ancient shrines in Kanyakumari district, to be held on Monday.
The temple, situated on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border, is frequented by devotees, mainly from places in the erstwhile Trivancore princely state, throughout the year.
As fulfilment of their owe to the temple deity for the well-being of the children, parents, tied to an end of a 40-foot-high bow, carry their children and complete a circle before handing over the children to a person waiting below. This ceremony is known as ‘Thooka’.
The festivities were inaugurated by Union Minister of State for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Pon. Radhakrishnan in the presence of V.S. Sivakumar, Health and Devasom Minister, Kerala, and actor Suresh Gopi, on March 14.
Elaborate arrangements had been made. Special buses were operated by the State transport corporations of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, said V. Ramachandran Nair, president, Temple Managing Committee.
