The evening light from the spangled blue is soothing. The ambiance of this place wears a meditative mood. We listen to the gushing sound of water in the dam. But for the occasional blasts (an offering) rising from the nearby Durga temple, there is not much to take your attention away from enjoying the scenic beauty of Aruvikkara dam. Many are lost in the sight of water relentlessly flowing in the dam. Though there are visitors, it is not crowded. The very sight of the children’s park make the kids a happy lot. While they run off to have some fun, the elders wander around, enjoying the beauty of the place.
The Durga Devi temple, officially titled Major Aruvikkara Sree Bhagavathy temple, is one of the biggest attractions here. The temple is famous for the ritual of feeding fishes in the stream as an offering. It is believed that people who perform this would be freed from skin diseases like black heads, ‘palunni’ and ‘arimpara’. Packets of fish food are available from a small outlet on the temple premises which are bought by devotees to perform the ritual. Fishing is strictly prohibited in this area. Another highlight of the temple is that it is one of the few fanes where the ‘Saptha Mathru’ deities are worshipped.
Many turned away disappointed as the fish in the stream were in no mood to surface. Except for a few small ones which occasionally peeped at the visitors, the other occupants were not to be seen around. On the other end, a few tourists were seen enjoying a cool dip in the waters in the brook. A ‘danger zone’ signboard warned against wading in too far. People can also visit the water processing unit there, where entry is restricted through passes which are issued from 10 am to 5 pm on all days. One needs to take permission from the authorities before entering. As the crepuscular dusk began to set in, we got ready to take leave along with the sparse visitors.