As the water level in the Periyar river rose for the third time on Monday this monsoon to submerge the sandbanks and most of the Mahadeva Temple in Aluva, the Balitharpanam rituals slated for Tuesday morning lay uncertain.
Early morning, the firemen rescued six people from the auditorium where some of them were sleeping. Some of them had reached the temple premises from far off to participate in balitharpanam rituals.
However, the Devaswom officials said the sides of the road leading to the temple will be utilised to help people coming to do the balitharpanam rituals.
“There is no other place, and we have taken permission of the people and the authorities,” said Rajan P. S., Paravur Group Assistant Commissioner of the Travancore Devaswom Board. People throng the Aluva sandbanks on the new moon day of Karkadaka month to offer vavubali to the ancestors.
