ALUVA: The Siva temples across the district, especially Aluva Manappuram, are all geared up for celebrating Sivarathri, believed to be the darkest of all nights in the year. For the faithful, it is a day of abstinence, awake for the whole night, climbing a spiritual ascent by offering ‘bali’ to the departed soul to propitiate the ancestors. The civic body and various departments have strictly enforced a green Sivarathri at Aluva Manappuram by banning plastic carry bags and plastic water bottles on the banks of the Periyar.
The banks of the Periyar are dotted with hundreds of ‘bali tharas’ for performing Bali rituals. Over 500 priests will assist the devotees in performing the customary rituals, which begin with the midnight ‘Sivaratri vilakku’. Chennas Manakkal Parameshwaran Namboothiripad and chief priest Mullappilly Manakkal Subramanian Namboothiripad are leading the ceremonies and rituals. The Advaita Ashramam in Aluva has also made elaborate arrangements for offering ‘bali’ for the departed souls.
Around 3,000 people can perform the ‘bali’ ritual at a time at the Advaita Ashramam. An all-religion meet to be held on Tuesday evening will be inaugurated by Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran. A security blanket was thrown over the city ahead of Sivaratri celebrations with the rural police administration deploying over 2,000 police personnel, including women CPOs, sub-inspectors, circle-inspectors and DySPs.